The Witch of Vale
by Iceflare177
Summary: In Vale, witches have been hunted for centuries, but how can Yang stay safe if she doesn't know she's a witch? When her strange new powers surface, she decides to go back to Forever Fall to find answers... Answers that will change both her future and the kingdom's. AU.
1. The Secret Quest

One-time disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. I will continue to not own it even after this story is over.

Thanks to my plot editor and all the people who supported this idea

In memory of Monty Oum

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Secret Quest)

It was just past dusk when Yang strode up to Rose's Runes with a bag slung over her shoulder and a grin on her face. Dead tired, she raised a hand and flung the door open with all the gusto she could muster. A very familiar face greeted her from behind the workbench at the far end of the store.

"Hello and welcome to Rose's Runes—Yang!" Ruby Rose, the store's sole owner and operator, ran across the room and flung her arms around her sister. "You're home!"

"Hey, Ruby," Yang said, eagerly returning the gesture. Just seeing Ruby was enough to give her some energy—it had been months since they'd last seen each other. "And, I got you something." Prying herself out of the hug, she set her bag down with a thud and began to rummage through the contents until she pulled a small sketchbook from its depths. "Take a look at this," she exclaimed, handing the book over to Ruby, who was nearly bursting with excitement.

"What's in it?" She flipped through the pages until she found the newer sketches and her jaw promptly fell open. "Is this… It is! Oh, Yang! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She flung her arms around Yang once again, then returned her attention to the drawings. There were pages filled with sketches of ancient ruins, and more importantly, the ancient runes that lined them. They were partially eroded by time, yet still remarkably preserved. "This is perfect!"

"I thought you might be able to use them. There's bound to be a new keyword in there somewhere." Yang pulled out a chair from underneath the workbench and sat straddling it. "So, what'd I miss around here?" Nothing seemed to have changed since she left… save maybe a few missing containers of Dust lining the shelves.

Ruby pried her eyes from the sketchbook for a moment to resume her position behind the workbench and scribbled a few notes down before looking off towards the storefront. "Well, you know how Vale's guard was looking for a new rune master?"

"Yeah?"

"I kinda got the job…"

Yang bolted up and almost fell out of her chair. "Really? That's amazing!" she cried, coming around the table to crush Ruby in another hug. "I'm so proud of you!"

Ruby winced. "Y—Yang, I can't breathe." After a few more seconds, she was finally released.

Yang looked at her with a playful smirk. "Make sure you don't rune this opportunity."

"Yang!"

She laughed. "What?"

"No puns, this is serious! The guard captain's coming tomorrow and I have no idea if I'm ready!" Ruby slumped her shoulders and gazed at the tools on the bench. "What if I'm not good enough? I don't know as many runes as others…"

"Aw, I know you'll do great." Yang put her hand on Ruby's shoulder. "If you weren't good enough, they wouldn't have chosen you. You've got the mind of a master and the skill to go with it." She lifted Ruby's chin, appraising her face. "In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd think you might be some wrinkly old elder trapped in a young girl's body," she mused.

"I am not some wrinkly old elder!"

"Could have fooled me!" Ruby growled and the two tussled. Yang quickly gained the upper hand and pulled her up by the hood. "You've gotten a little stronger, Sis, but you're still no match," she gloated.

"Yang, no fair! Put me down!" Ruby struggled to get out of her hood.

Yang did as requested. "Well, how about I stick around for your deal tomorrow?"

"You'd do that?"

"Of course? How could I not be there to watch my baby sister become the youngest official rune master in history?" That sentence seemed to return Ruby to her gloom. "No pressure," Yang added, but the damage was done. She changed the subject. "So, want to hear about those ancient ruins?"

"Yes!" Ruby said instantly, excitement returning. She happily hopped onto the workbench.

Yang sat next to her, and flipped to a page in the sketchbook depicting a hallway. Runemarks covered the ground. "The locals told me about this hallway, which leads to a room once filled with unimaginable treasure," she started. "It was said to be the last defense of an impenetrable fortress. The idea was, if an intruder got too close, the hall would cave in, collapsing onto them and sealing off the treasures forever… but it never did." She turned the page to show a sketch of a mostly empty room. "Now, the treasure is gone."

"Well, yeah," Ruby snorted, amused. "The rune runnings were too far apart to cause a reaction down the whole hall."

"Exactly. Years later, local historians investigated the ruins, and they found that the rune master who built the trap had stolen the treasure."

"It was planned!"

Yang nodded. "Pretty clever if you ask me." She stood up from the workbench, stretched, and yawned. "Well, I'll leave you and the sketchbook alone. Think you can make out a new keyword?"

"I think I already did... Not sure what it means, though," Ruby admitted.

"That's great! I'll be in my room if you need me. Don't stay up too late, okay?"

"Okay," Ruby agreed, rolling her eyes.

That taken care of, Yang ascended the stairs to her room. Sleep came easily to her that night. Despite the periodic explosions, there was a comfortable silence.

/-/-/-/

A sleepy Yang ambled down the stairs in her linen undergarments, leather overcoat and tasset forgotten. Stomach vocalizing a need for food, the scent of toasted rye kept her feet in motion. "Morning, Ruby." A final stretch woke her up and she blinked. And then blinked again. And once more, trying to take in the scene around her.

"Ignite!" A small explosion was brought to life. The flames licked at a slice of bread on a stick before dying out onto a metal plate on the wooden floor. Three whole containers of Dust lay empty next to a bucket of pig's blood and notes were carelessly scattered about, some even singed. Ruby—the cause of this mess—turned and grinned triumphantly at Yang. Great bags were under her eyes yet she showed almost no signs of fatigue. "Morning, Yang. Toast?"

"Uh, sure." Yang gingerly took the slice and bit off a small piece. It tasted of Dust but it wasn't altogether horrible. She'd eaten worse these last couple of months. "So, I take it last night was a success?"

"Yup! The runes read 'Ignite.' Actually, the hardest part was figuring out how to toast the bread with it…" She pointed to four whole loaves burnt beyond recognition behind her. "The spell's compatible with your fighting style, want me to put it on Ember Celica? I could fit four on each hand."

"Sure. Cooking toast over the fire takes too long, anyway," Yang joked. Ruby stuck out her tongue and almost bit it when she was pulled into a surprise hug. "I really missed this little genius."

"Yang… can't… breathe…" Yang's full strength had returned overnight. The cracking of Ruby's spine confirmed it. Then, there came a knock at the door. "That must be the guard captain!" Ruby re-adjusted her cloak. "What do I do? This place is a mess!"

"I'll stall them, you clean."

"Yang, wait, your clothes!"

"What about them… oh." Greeting the guard captain in her linens wouldn't be the greatest choice. "Well, what else can we do?"

"Ms. Rose? This is Captain Schnee of Vale's guard. Open the door, please." A light pounding came from other side of the wooden frame. Ruby began to panic and started shoving everything under the workbench. "Ms. Rose?" The knocking came again.

"I'll think of something, you just get rid of the bread!" Yang ran to the door and opened it, ignoring Ruby's shouts of horror and coming face-to-face with the guard captain's fist as she was about to knock for the third time. "Welcome!" She laughed nervously.

Weiss Schnee stood outside the door looking mildly perplexed, having heard the conversation. Almost instantly, her eyes bulged as she in turn came face-to-face with Yang's half exposed figure. Short shorts and a skimpy tank top that no worshiper of the Goddess would wear was not what she was expecting. Even if she was wearing a scarf, it did nothing to hide some rather… exposed areas of skin. "M—Ms. Ruby Rose?" she coughed, trying to maintain composure in the midst of mortification.

"Nope, I'm her sister, Yang. Nice to meet you."

Weiss took the hand offered to her.

"Ruby should be finished shortly. She pulled an all nighter so she's just cleaning up."

The smell of burnt bread wafted out of the house, leaving Weiss even more confused than before. Bread? All nighter? What kind of strange hobbies did the guard's new rune master hold? "I see... Well, I would like to start our business soon." Weiss narrowed her eyes at Yang. "What occupation do you hold?"

"Who, me? I'm an adventurer."

The lack of clothing made sense to her now. Drawing up her posture, she shouldered past Yang and into the house to see a younger girl with an oversized cloak shoving a box of strange, black objects behind the shop's door. "Ms. Rose?"

"Th—That would be me!" The door was quickly closed, resulting in a crash behind it. The sisters winced and Weiss sighed. How could someone little more than a child be capable of putting runes on weapons and armor? "And, Ruby's fine," she corrected once the noise died down.

"Now then… Ruby, I'm here to work out the details of our arrangement."

"Oh, anything's fine. Just tell me what you need and I'll get it done!"

"I've heard stories of your prowess; however, I would like a demonstration." Weiss was so far unconvinced that this girl could do what was asked of her. She brought a dagger over to the workbench.

Yang gave Ruby a thumbs up.

"Right…" Ruby nodded and took a seat, bringing out her tools. She quickly drew runes and rune runnings on the dagger with a paste made out of fire Dust and pig's blood. "Burn." The metal of the dagger began to glow red-hot and Ruby started pounding away. "What spell would you like?"

"Any is fine." Weiss raised an eyebrow at the skill displayed thus far. Perhaps she was wrong about Ruby. "I've already received a list of the keywords you know."

"Got it." The clang of metal continued. After a while, Ruby grinned and plunged the blade into a bucket of water, effectively cancelling the spell and returning the blade to a normal temperature. There was a single keyword written near the tip of the blade that Weiss had never seen before. Next, Ruby lined the grooves of the runes with a thin layer of wet clay and more fire Dust. She Burned it again to harden the clay. The whole process had taken only an hour. The speed at which the rune master worked was incredible. "Here you are," Ruby nearly sang as she handed the dagger over with a brush dipped in pig's blood. "The spell reads 'Ignite.'"

"I wasn't aware that you knew a spell like this."

"I just learned it," Ruby grinned triumphantly.

Weiss simply took the brush and painted a line across the runes. Examining the blade up close, she spoke the name of the spell. "Ignite," she commanded, and the dagger blew up in her face.

/-/-/-/

Weiss had lost her composure and had begun to yell at Ruby the minute she wiped the soot from her eyes. Yang, who had put on the rest of her outfit in the past hour, was too busy trying to contain a laugh to step in, leaving Ruby to fend for herself. For the last five minutes, Ruby had been stuck between wanting to cover her ears and not wanting to anger Weiss any more than she already was.

"Unbelievable! Would it have hurt to at least tell me what the spell did first?"

"I'm really, really sorry…" Ruby looked like she wanted to disappear as she toed the wooden floor.

"Ugh, you complete dolt! What are you even doing here? Aren't you a little young to be a rune master?"

"W—Well, I…"

"This isn't just some game! People's lives will be depending on these spells. It's not just for fun or practice, you know! Vale's guard fight monsters, so… So at least tell us what kind of spells we're going to be using!"

"Hey, I said I was sorry, princess!" Ruby had had enough. She knew as well as Weiss did what was at stake.

Meanwhile, Yang had recovered enough to defend her sister. "For the record, you never even asked what kind of spell it was, so isn't it your fault? And, at least now you know she's capable of doing her job."

"Wha—How dare you—The nerve of… Ugh!" The guard captain thrust a roll of paper sealed with Vale's crest at Ruby and walked off in a huff.

Ruby, elated that she hadn't been fired before she was hired yet still sorry, called after Weiss. "I promise I'll make this up to you!" She sighed when the door closed. "You were right, Yang. I runed it."

"That's not true, you just got off to a bad start!" Yang tried her best to console her sister. "With these things, it's better to start with a bang than go out with one." The pun wasn't helping.

"I blew up Vale's guard captain, Yang. A bad start's a bit of an understatement." When Yang broke into laughter again, Ruby shot her a dirty look. Then, shaking her heard, she began unrolling the piece of paper. "So, I guess I should get to work, huh?"

"Yeah, and, speaking of work, I have to go turn in my quest and look for a new one."

"Alright, see you later, Sis."

Yang grabbed her bag and headed outside. "See ya, Rubes."

/-/-/-/

Bartholomew Oobleck's house stood off a dirt road in a secluded area near the edge of the kingdom. The man seemed perfectly content to live alone, as he never developed any particularly close relationships, and spent nearly every waking moment researching as a historian. Whenever an unexpected knock came at the door, he looked out the window to see if it was worth answering. If he did answer, he actively shortened the conversation so as to get back to work faster.

When Yang approached the door, it opened before she could even raise a hand to knock and she was immediately pulled inside. "Whoa?"

"Ms. Xiao Long, it's good to see you in one piece! I've been expecting your visit. Have you brought the artifact I requested?" Oobleck spoke rapidly. His disheveled clothing looked windblown, but he hadn't set foot outside all day.

"Uh… Yes, Sir, I have it right here!" Yang proudly pulled a small statue-like object from her bag. Shaped into a small Beowolf, the stone sculpture stood forever snarling at the people who dared to touch it.

"Wonderful! It's in marvelous condition! With this, I should be able to finish my manuscript on the children of ancient times. It seems these toys' designs ranged from town to town, depending on the Grimm in the area." Oobleck zoomed with an unnatural quickness towards his desk. He deposited the object and brought back a small pouch. "Your payment, Ms. Xiao Long," he announced, extending the bag of Lien towards Yang.

"Thank you." She smiled politely and put the pouch with the rest of her items. That done, she slung her bag over her shoulder. "I don't suppose you have any other quests?"

"No, the items you have amassed for me thus far will suffice." The historian sat back down at his desk and began to write so quickly, his hand was little more than a blur.

"Okay, well, thanks for the business." Yang decided to leave the man in peace and walked towards the door.

"Ms. Xiao Long?"

"Yes?"

"Do read the manuscript when it's done, hmm?"

Yang smiled playfully. "We'll see. If you make it a quest, I might find it appealing."

Oobleck spared a smile and a breath of laughter.

When the door closed behind her, Yang took out the pouch of money and began to count the coins inside. One hundred Lien exactly. She would receive six times that once the manuscript was approved and bought by the Church. Coupled with the other quests she completed on her journey, the total would come to around 2,400 Lien. It was enough for three month's rent. Of course, Ruby brought in a more stable income, but much of it was lost to food and supplies. To supplement, Yang sent rent money home with her letters when she could.

After putting away her money, Yang walked her favorite tavern. She was greeted with a cheer.

"Yang's back," Nora Valkyrie, the bartender of The Valkyrie's Drinking Grounds, yelled from her position behind the bar counter.

The drunkards around the tavern tables roared. "Blazing Blondie!"

Yang raised her fist as she sauntered through the bar. A charge was in the air, as if they half expected her to get up and do something wild, but no. She was in for regular business today.

"So, Yang, what can I do for you? Let me guess, mug of ale? Finest in Vale," Nora baited. There were murmurs of agreement from around the tavern.

"Sorry, Nora, no can do. I'm just here to see if you have any quests," Yang said.

"It was worth a shot. What kind of quests are you looking for?" Nora slid her a glass of water.

"Anything you got, I'll get it done." Yang lifted the glass towards her in thanks, then downed it.

"Well, in that case…" Nora leaned in and lowered her voice. "I need someone to do a job for me, but it's got to be a secret."

"I'm listening…" In Yang's experience, secret jobs tend to pay well.

"You know Forever Fall?"

Yang inched closer, ready for one hell of a job description. "Yeah?"

"I'm going to need you… To collect some sap from the trees."

"What?"

"Shh!" Nora looked around skeptically before continuing. "No one can find out! It's the secret ingredient to Ren's special pancake syrup, and I ate the last jar of it! I didn't mean to eat it, it just tasted really, really good and I couldn't help myself! So, I need you to get some more jars before he finds out." She leaned in closer. "And, I hear it makes a mean sweet ale."

Yang thought about it. She could turn in the quest by tomorrow if she traveled on horseback, meaning it would be easy to get it done and look for other quests. The Grimm in the area weren't particularly tough, either. All in all, it seemed doable. "How much sap do you need?"

"Hmm… about sixty jars."

"Excuse me?" Yang raised her voice again.

"Yang, shh!" Nora was completely serious.

"Isn't sixty jars a bit much? I don't know if I can carry all of that."

"Don't worry about it! I'll lend you my cart and all the jars you need. You just need to make sure it gets back safely!" Flipping a glass in the air, she added smoothly, "I'll pay you two hundred Lien and three bottles of the best sweet ale in Remnant."

Two hundred Lien and three bottles of fine ale was hard to pass up… but Yang had enough experience to know when she was being underpaid. The sap of Forever Fall trees took a notoriously long time to drip, meaning she would have to defend herself and the cargo for a week minimum while waiting for the jars to fill up. "Make it three hundred and you have a deal."

"Two fifty."

"Two seventy five."

"Well, Yang Xiao Long, you drive a hard bargain, but we have a deal," Nora relented. Just after she said that, someone started a fight over a lost wager. With a grin, she took out her war hammer and politely asked the two drunks if they were going to fight outside.

They took one look at her smile and decided they were.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

AN: Hey, everyone! Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please review and all that good stuff! Here's some info:

Rune system: Runes are like letters that are strung together to form keywords. Once filled with Dust and brushed with blood, all one needs to do is speak the keyword, and the spell will activate. Any type of blood will activate the keyword.

Rune runnings are used when expanding the spell over large areas. They're basically lines filled with more Dust, but they don't need to be brushed with blood. Runes appear in many forms based on where they come from, and mastering techniques to understand and use them takes time and skill.

Any questions? Please ask!

**NEXT:** The Girl in the Forest


	2. The Girl in the Forest

**A song for the chapter: **in love with a ghost - i was feeling down, then i found a nice witch and now we're best friends

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Girl in the Forest)

Ruby had been sad to see her sister off, but eventually she let Yang go on the promise that she would be back before Origin Week in two weeks' time. And so, Yang mounted Bumblebee and rode off towards the forest bathed in an eternal crimson.

Forever Fall was a mountainous area. Mist obscured the horizon, making it no more than a blurred line of red against blue. Nora's cart took the bumps in the small road roughly as it trailed behind Bumblebee. Soon, there was no road at all and the cart couldn't go any further. Surrounded by falling leaves and a persistent, cool dampness to the air, Yang stopped and dismounted her horse. Grabbing her tools and an armful of empty jars, she stalked off to the nearby trees to begin her task. Bumblebee waited patiently, trusting her completely.

One jar took three hours to fill. Even filling two jars at a time wasn't fast enough; Yang began to run out of ways to occupy herself after the sixth hour. "Great. Just fifty-four more… Yay." It was hard to believe that she hadn't seen anything even remotely life threatening. Forever Fall was one of the most dangerous areas near Vale. Wasn't the sap supposed to draw Grimm to the area? A good fight would certainly liven things up. It was then an idea began to form. "Maybe they just need a little more incentive…"

Yang took an armful of empty jars and brought them back near the others. She decided to set them up a ring of sap collection and sat in the middle of it. "Come and get me," she taunted the misted trees. The sap's sweet scent permeated the air and drifted on the wind. Bumblebee nickered nervously as the atmosphere started to change.

Slowly, they began to arrive.

Ursa with their glowing eyes came towards the clearing, snarling and crazed from the scent wafting out of the jars. Yang was ready for them. "Burn!" Ember Celica's metal turned scorching hot and Yang ran into battle, eager to brand her opponents. She boasted a smile as she bolted towards the monsters. "Let's do this!"

The Grimm, too young to fear, foolishly approached their target… and subsequently, their deaths.

/-/-/-/

Blake's ears perked up beneath her bow when she first heard an Ursa roar. It was not unusual for the Grimm to make noises as they patrolled the forest, but those noises did not include pure rage for no reason. Someone was agitating them.

Quickly pulling Gambol Shroud from the wall, Blake exited her home and left in the direction of the sound. There was a second bellow from the same area and then for a while, silence. As she neared the scene, a sickeningly sweet scent accompanied by the sound of battle drifted towards her on the wind. Blake hid, the mist obscuring her presence.

Edging nearer to the ongoing fight, she looked out over a cliff. Her jaw go slack at the scene below. A decomposing Grimm lay on the ground while its much larger, and more importantly alive, partner engaged a girl with glowing gauntlets. In a ring around them were evenly spaced jars collecting tree sap.

Blake grit her teeth as she gripped her sword and sheath. Many people come to the forest underestimating its lethality. Blood oozed from a nasty gash on the stranger's forehead and dripped down to blend with the crimson grass. She staggered, barely dodging an attack, but still holding her ground. What was disturbing was that she was enjoying the fight. Her obvious disadvantage only seemed to fuel her fire. "What, you want some too?" the stranger yelled before she rushed the Ursa.

Blake growled and sped towards the Grimm as well. She extended her aura to the weapon and it responded and changed into a chain scythe. She threw the weapon and it went torpedoing through the air to land in the Ursa's back and promptly disconnect its spine.

Stunned, the stranger stopped and looked around until she caught sight of Blake through the dark wisps rising from the Grimm's body. "I could've taken it," she shrugged seemingly without concern.

"Right, it certainly looked like you had it under control."

"Well, I did." She wiped at the cut on her forehead, causing her grin to pull back into a wince. "But, thanks anyway."

Blake stood looking mildly unamused. "Happy to help."

The stranger trotted out of the clearing and towards a cart well hidden in the shadows. After deactivating her Dust spell, she brought some gauze out of a bag and began to dress her wounds.

"So, what's with all the jars?"

"I'm an adventurer and 'all the jars' are my quest," the stranger explained.

"Your quest…?"

"Getting sap, of course!"

Blake gestured to the jars around the clearing with Gambol Shroud's sheath. "Getting sap doesn't require provoking the Grimm."

"Yup, it doesn't. But I'm a bit of an overachiever," the stranger winked.

Blake rolled her eyes.

"What's it matter to you, anyway?"

"It doesn't. I just don't want another body around here."

"Oh."

Blake began to walk away.

"Wait!"

She stopped.

"I owe you one."

"No, you don't. You didn't need my help, so I don't need a reward." There was a hint of remaining skepticism in Blake's tone, but she was serious about not needing anything in return for killing the Ursa.

"Fair… but still." The stranger approached and Blake turned to meet her. "I'm Yang. If you ever don't need help with something, I've got you covered. Oh, and if you have any quests, I'll take those too."

Blake felt the corner of her lips being tugged upwards at Yang's antics, and took the hand offered to her. "Blake." She was about to take her leave when a tree crashed down near the two. Walking over it was the largest Ursa she'd ever seen.

"Think it's friendly?" Yang mused.

The Grimm roared and rushed the two.

"Nope." Yang quickly grabbed a Dust solution from her bag and reactivated Ember Celica. Meanwhile, Blake manually transformed Gambol Shroud back into katana form.

The two jumped aside just in time before a large paw landed dangerously close to the cart. Yang led the Ursa Major back to the clearing. "We have to keep it away from the jars, I don't have any spares!"

Blake nodded and followed the blonde a ways before turning back to swipe at the monster. Gambol Shroud barely did any damage. "It's tougher than it looks," she warned.

"Alright! Let's hit it with everything we've got!" Yang bumped her fists together eagerly and rushed the Ursa as if she wasn't already wounded. It reared onto its hind legs and came down forcefully. Yang punched away one giant paw and rolled to the side. The Ursa was thrown slightly off balance, and Blake took that opportunity to slash its shoulder before jumping out of range. "Not bad," Yang commented.

"Likewise." It took considerable strength to be able to overpower a hit from an Ursa Major. Not bad for someone unaided by aura. The Grimm ran forward, limping slightly from the attack on its shoulder and burn on its paw. The two flanked it on either side.

"Let's see what your new keyword can do, Rubes." Yang dipped her fists into the crimson grass while Blake drew the Ursa's attention. The blades burned from Ember Celica's kiss and the blood from Yang's earlier fight covered the runes at the edges of the gauntlets. Stamping out the small blaze, she lunged towards the Grimm and punched its flank with both hands. "Ignite!" The Ursa was met with so much explosive force that it was blown off its paws. "Blake!"

Taking the cue, Blake rushed forwards and sank her blade deep into the shoulder she had previously injured. Though she would have preferred a quick kill like the previous one, the Ursa Major's enhanced armor made that impossible. Instead, she severed the monster's right arm and brought her weapon back up to finish the job. But when she she realized that she couldn't use her aura in front of Yang, she hesitated. Without transforming Gambol Shroud, finishing off the Ursa would be difficult at best…

Blake took too long to think of another move. The bear roared in blinding rage and pain before rolling over, knocking her off balance. When she recovered, she found herself looking right into the Grimm's glowing eyes. It snarled and opened its massive jaws. Its fangs were easily the size of small daggers. Blake cursed. Done in by a three-legged Ursa after everything she'd been through…

Suddenly, she was thrust aside. Yang had pushed her away and took the bite in the upper arm. The bear growled before throwing her into the nearest tree. Yang broke through the sapling and hit the tree behind it, too.

"Yang!" Blake flew to her feet and transformed her weapon, apprehension forgotten in the moment. Flipping through the air with precision, she used her chain scythe to lob off the Grimm's head. It rolled to a stop next to its arm before beginning the decomposition process.

Blake ran to Yang's side, viewing her injuries with a dark look on her face. At this rate, Yang wouldn't make it. Her two massive head wounds and her shredded arm bled heavily. Bits of the tree she broke through stuck into various areas, only adding to it. An inexplicable sense of guilt washed over Blake. "Why'd you save me…?"

Yang laughed weakly and smiled through the blood. "I don't know what you're talking about… You looked like you had everything under… control."

Blake hung her head and her ears drooped against her bow. "Well, I didn't."

More laughter. "Hey… I've got a sister back in Vale. Her name's Ruby…" Yang lifted her still Burning gauntlets up. Her hands were seared. "In case I don't make it… Give her these. She'll understand."

"How can you be so…" Blake couldn't find the right word. "You're going to die, you know."

"I don't plan on dying yet." It seemed a silly thing to say when Yang was bleeding out against a tree in the middle of the wilderness. "Not yet."

Blake could sense that Yang had a strong soul… if she had aura, she could heal… and Blake could give her that aura. But, would giving a human that kind of power really be a smart thing? No. It wasn't about human or Faunus. Yang was a person in trouble. Someone Blake could—and was even obligated to—help. If she did nothing, the adventurer would die.

As Yang's eyes began to close, the Faunus drew out her aura and placed one hand on Yang's chest and another behind her head. "Release," she whispered. As if it were a Dust spell, Yang's aura came to life at a single word. Brilliant flames enveloped her body and burned away the wooden shrapnel. Her wounds closed and disappeared.

Blake closed her eyes in the face of the light, but did not take her hands away. Instead of being burned by the aura, she simply felt a warming heat. It was the most direct and perhaps fitting form of aura possible.

Only when the flames died did the Faunus remove her hands. She fought for breath and waited for a glimpse of lilac eyes.

After a while, Yang stirred. She felt for her wounds yet found nothing. "B-Blake," she stuttered. "Did I… Are we…?"

"Welcome back."

"How did you...?"

"A spell."

"Huh?" Yang was at a loss, but no further explanation was provided. Blake figured the less she knew about aura, the less she could abuse it. After a long while, Yang broke the silence. "I guess I still owe you, huh."

"I thought I told you you don't."

"Well then, I guess I don't." Yang shrugged and got up from against the tree. "So, Blakey, you live around here?" She stretched.

"I do. And, don't call me Blakey."

"Why not? It's cute."

Blake's bow twitched at the offhanded remark.

"Anyway, can I crash at your place? I've still got a ways to go on my quest."

Blake froze. She was getting too comfortable with this person. Fighting side-by-side, activating aura, and now "Blakey." This couldn't be good. The last thing she needed was for Yang to find out what she was… and who she used to be. "You can't… Look, Yang, it's been nice meeting you, but I have to go." Blake dusted herself off and started to leave for the second time that day.

"Um… okay? See you around, then." Yang could tell something had changed, but didn't push it.

Blake didn't say anything else as she left the clearing.

/-/-/-/

That night, Yang felt off. For the first time in years, her bearskin blanket went unused. What felt even more off was that even after two weeks, a bit of searching, and a sketchbook page, Blake still had yet to be seen a second time. It was as if she'd vanished into thin air.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **How are you? I hope well. All four lovely ladies have been introduced... look out for more characters later! Just some more information/answers to questions before I go.

**Are they in the Dark Ages? **I would say yes for the overall purpose of the descriptor, but you'll see some technology and custom differences later.

Any Burning questions? Please ask! Also, reviews are much appreciated.

**NEXT: **The Origin Demonstration


	3. The Origin Demonstration

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Origin Demonstration)

Origin Week started today and Yang hadn't come back yet. Ruby checked the stables one more time, but there was no sign of Bumblebee or her sister. She trusted Yang. Ruby knew she would come back. Still... there was always that tiny bit of worry. What if Yang didn't get carried away this time? What if she was in trouble? A chill in the air made Ruby wrap her cloak tighter around her frame. She wondered if Yang was cold too.

Rose's Runes' festive decorations came into view as she rounded the corner. When she spotted Weiss standing against the door, surveying the road with a critical eye, she picked up the pace. "Hello," Ruby greeted cautiously. "Can I do something for you?"

Weiss scoffed, still bitter. "I'd rather you don't. Last time I was lucky to survive you 'doing something' for me."

"It was an accident!"

Weiss rolled her eyes and extended a piece of parchment towards Ruby.

"What's this?"

"Vale's guard, sponsored by the Schnee Dust Company, extends Origin Week as a peacetime holiday to all employees and guardsmen not assigned on patrol duty. As a result, all personnel taking advantage of this are encouraged to celebrate to the fullest and attend the annual Origin Demonstration." Weiss spoke quicker by the second, obviously not wanting to spend much more time there.

"Uhhh...?" Ruby wasn't following.

"You have Origin Week off, you dolt!"

"Really?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"No…"

A gust of wind made Weiss shiver and tuck her chin into her fur-lined collar. "Now, good day!" As she stalked off, Ruby took hold of her hand.

"Wait!"

She glared and retracted it forcefully. "What."

"Um…" Ruby looked at her feet. "Would you like to come inside?"

Weiss sighed, realizing what this was about. "You really want to start making things up to me?"

"Absolutely?"

"Do your job and don't ever speak to me again."

Ruby looked like she had been shot.

"Now, good. Day." At that, Weiss left, flipping her hair behind her shoulder.

"Yikes! What's her problem?" Yang came up behind her sister as inconspicuously as possible.

"Yang!" Ruby narrowed her eyes. "You're late!" Yang shrugged, dressed in festive wear. A wooden sword hung from her tasset and a white cloth hat fell over eyes.

"I got hung up. But, I brought home some good stuff! Well, good for me, anyway…" She brought up a bottle of sweet ale from behind her back. "Nora just made it."

"You aren't going to drink during Origin Week, are you?"

Yang's smile faded a bit as the bottle lowered. "Well…"

"Yang," Ruby said sternly. Her sister sighed.

"No, I wasn't going to," she assured, expression softening. Yang knew how important the holidays were to her sister and even if she wasn't religious, she still participated in some of the customs. "So, what did the guard captain have to say?"

A pained expression came over Ruby's face. "'Do your job and never speak to me again.' I'm pretty sure she hates me."

"Look, uh, it sounds like you two just got off on the wrong foot. Why don't you start over and try to be friends, okay?" Yang opened the shop door and stepped inside, dumping her bag near the entrance.

"I already tried that, Sis. Besides…" Ruby trailed off, leaning against the door.

"What?" Yang turned to look at her.

"I'm not sure that's even possible at this point."

"Nonsense," Yang boomed. "It's worth a try! Just get out there and show her what you're made of!"

"I did… and it blew up in my face. Literally."

"Yeah, well, she kind of deserved that." Yang smiled again at the memory. "Don't give up yet, Rubes. Sometimes making friends isn't easy."

"...Okay," Ruby muttered as she was brought into a one-armed hug. "Hey, Yang?"

"Hmm?"

"Want to go to the Origin Demonstration with me tomorrow?"

"Sure, I can do that. But before we talk about all of that..." Yang brought a familiar, wrapped object out of her bag. "Who wants a cookie?" The baked good was out of her hand and in her sister's stomach in less than three seconds. "Well, that didn't last long." Nonetheless, a chocolaty grin served to brighten the mood.

/-/-/-/

The castle's Origin Demonstration was one of the few annual large scale events planned with the commoner in mind. In fact, the castle's whole entire outer court had been decked out with tables and chairs, a main stage, and smaller stages for sideshows. Everything was bathed in white and there were many servants focused on bringing cider to the Demonstration's guests. Happy chatter filled the air and children ran wild as the festivities were in full swing.

"So! There we were, in the middle of the night…" Nora leaned over the table, engaging her friends in a story.

"It was day." Ren sat near her, looking tired. No one could blame him. He and Nora had spent the day running around to check out all of the sideshows and meat vendors.

"We were surrounded by Ursai…"

"They were Beowolves," Ren corrected again, picking up his mug of cider.

"Dozens of them!" To emphasize her point, Nora stood up, bumping the table and nearly spilling the other cups of cider in the process. The rest of the table was listening but mostly just to be nice at this point. Yang was the exception. She on the edge of her seat, probably comparing a similar fight of hers to the story. Jaune sat at the end of the table gloomily spinning his mug as his friends went on.

"Two of 'em."

"But they were no match… And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!"

Ren sighed. "She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now." The table let the story drop and moved on.

"Jaune? Are you okay?" Pyrrha cast a worried glance at her own childhood friend.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?"

"It's just that you seem a little… _not_ okay…" Ruby said, wiping chocolate from her mouth with her sleeve. She had brought a bag's worth of cookies to the Demonstration.

"Guys, I'm fine. Seriously, look!" He held up a thumb and laughed nervously. It eventually died down, leaving him just as glum as he was twenty seconds ago. This time, though, his eyes were directed towards one of the side stages.

Pyrrha knew what he was thinking. "Jaune, you can't keep feeling down about not being able to perform today!"

"Me feeling down? About that? Nah… I just didn't get enough sleep last night! You know, fatigue!"

"You've been depressed all day," Ruby pointed out.

Jaune scoffed. "Oh, please! Name one time I've been 'depressed.'"

"You tuned your lute for two hours and didn't speak at all this morning," Pyrrha said.

"You didn't finish Ren's pancakes," Nora added. "And he even made his special syrup!"

"And, you've been avoiding the other bards," Yang finished. The whole table cast concerned looks at him.

Jaune met them with another nervous laugh. "I talked to Cardin!"

"Jaune, you'll get the position next year," Pyrrha consoled.

"Ooooh!" Nora stood up again, this time without incident. She pointed to a bard performing on a side stage. "We'll break his lute!"

"Guys, really, it's fine! Besides, Pyrrha's right. I'll just get to perform next year." Jaune put on a small smile before changing subjects. "So, Yang, where'd your quest take you this time?"

"Sorry, that's a secret." Yang winked at Nora across the table.

"Secrets have to be kept!" Ren gave her a suspicious look. Normally Nora would be the one trying to get more information. After a while, he shrugged it off, leaving Nora to breathe a sigh of relief. Ren concluded that he could spend years trying to understand everything she did and he still wouldn't come close to getting it all.

"We understand." Pyrrha changed the subject again, sensing Nora's discomfort. "Ruby, I heard you're Vale's newest rune master?"

This time, it was Ruby's turn to get gloomy. "That's right."

"She has the privilege of our very own Weiss Schnee being her direct superior." Yang smiled as her sister slumped further into her chair. The whole table could empathize. They'd all had their own run-ins with the guard captain and few of them were genuinely pleasant.

Jaune was the only one happy about it. His disappointment from earlier vanished and his excitement caused him to swallow his cider down the wrong tube. "Really?" he coughed. After he had recovered, he put down the drink and directed his full attention towards Ruby. Pyrrha started focusing very intently on her own mug.

"Yeah. We got off to a bad start though and I kinda… blew up a dagger in her face." A second of silence passed. Then two. Finally, Nora and Yang burst into laughter. Ren moved his mug of cider just in time before Nora's fist could crush it and Jaune looked mortified as he watched Yang clutch at her sides. Meanwhile, Pyrrha was trying her best to contain a smirk. Ruby looked like she wanted to die of embarrassment.

"You what_?_" Jaune could hardly believe his ears.

"You heard her!" Yang said between laughs. "She blew up a dagger—"

"In her FACE_,_" Nora finished all too eagerly.

If it was even possible, Ruby shrank down further into her seat.

Jaune's eyes were rivaling the size of the table. "Was she alright?"

"Yeah… it was an accident!" Ruby swore.

"A good one," Pyrrha commented somewhat jokingly.

"Pyrrha?"

"Nothing!"

Time flew by as the friends caught up and eventually the sun began to set. The castle's servants began passing out candles to the tables. Soon after, a metal wall behind the main stage lit up, illuminating the surrounding area. It represented the fiery sunset lost behind the castle. Those who were standing flocked to the smaller stages to try and see above the crowd.

"So that's why they wanted those metal sheets done…" Ruby marveled.

"Did you do that?" Yang whispered.

"Yeah, it was in the orders, but I didn't know it would be used for this!"

"Isn't it pretty?" Nora's eyes sparkled.

"It's so…" Ruby began. "_Cool_!"

"That's my sister!" Yang reeled her into a hug. Before Ruby could wiggle out of it, demonstrators climbed onto the main stage.

A voice rang out across the court. "People of Vale, are you enjoying your evening?" The crowd cheered. "Good. Howl," the man bellowed, and all the candles went out. By the look on Ruby's face, this was her work as well.

The crowd waited in near silence for the speaker dressed in white to continue. He was dressed in white and slow to move on.

"One thousand years ago, the Goddess descended upon Remnant. The animals welcomed Her presence and served Her well. They did Her bidding and saw Her off with pride. And so, the Goddess rewarded them. To Her loyal animals, she gave a gift. A body in Her image, and a mind slightly better than the animals'."

"Burn," the servants whispered, and half the candles lit up.

"But, to those who pledged their life to Her, She gave a better gift." He paused. "The gift of humanity."

"Burn," the servants said again, and the other half came alive.

"Some say the Faunus were jealous, for they shunned the humans and hunted their animal ancestors. Though we were once of the same flesh, the animals were now hunted and the Faunus and humans broke apart. The animals' souls screamed—they felt betrayed! These souls took on the darkness today we know as Grimm.

"The humans had the power of the Goddess. Dust. With this, they fought the creatures of darkness. Yet, the Faunus hadn't access to that power. They were not faithful enough."

The crowd booed.

"It must be hard to be a Faunus," Yang noted, head resting on her arms. She'd met a few in neighboring kingdoms and they rarely rose above second-class citizens. The people behind her shushed her.

"Because of this, the Grimm almost wiped them out!"

"Ignite," the servants whispered, and half the candles exploded.

"Ah, come on!" Jaune wiped candle wax out of his eyes.

"All of this traces back to the day the Goddess descended upon Remnant. Origin day."

"Howl." And the remainder of the candles went out. The rest of the Demonstration consisted of hymns, dances, and stories not unlike the first. Ruby was having a blast watching all of her runes get used, but Yang stopped listening at some point. She preferred the last Demonstration's theme to this one. Dust sculptures were far more interesting than the overly dramatic speaker still blabbering away on his stage.

"And now, everyone, our honored guest of the evening. Some of you may know him… for he is the king!"

The crowd went roared. "The king! The king's coming to the Demonstration!"

An old, frail-looking man climbed up the steps to the stage with help from his wife. He gave a long speech about Origin Week and the Goddess; his deep voice—surprisingly powerful—easily filled the large court.

At the end, the people raised their mugs of cider. "Long live the king!"

Looking back, it was a sick kind of perfect timing. For as soon as those words were shouted, the king dropped dead.

/-/-/-/

It had taken a moment for the crowd to register what had happened. When they finally came to, it was because other nobles began to fall as well. It was then the stampede started—a crowd of hundreds all vying for a single exit. Many didn't survive the strange assassinations. Many more didn't survive the crowd itself.

Yang lifted Ruby up onto the table to avoid the crowd then pulled Ember Celica into place. She wouldn't allow her sister to be one of the ones dead in the panic.

Pyrrha likely had a similar thought about Jaune. She drew her sword and handed him her hoplon. "Jaune, go!" He nodded and the two ran for the exit, shoving off anyone who got too close.

"Renny, let's help them out!" Nora pulled out Magnhild and ran for the wall. Ren pulled out his bearded axes and chased after her. When the pair reached the wall, she slammed her hammer into it. "Boop!" The hammer's head blew a hole in the wall at the mention of the Valkyrie keyword. Ren called people's attention to the holes while his childhood friend ran ahead, laughing maniacally as she rendered the castle wall rubble.

Ruby watched them for a bit before searching the clearing for sign of the assassins. She spotted Weiss directing the guard… and the hooded figure approaching her from the darkness. "Weiss!" Ruby pulled out Crescent Rose and unfolded it in a matter of seconds. The scythe towered above her head before she jumped off the table and sprinted towards the guard captain.

"Ruby!" Yang, who had just taken her fist out some crazed crowd member's face, followed. She shoved people out of the way, but couldn't catch up. Ruby was by far the fastest person she knew.

"Look out!" Ruby shouted.

Weiss saw her sprinting towards her at crazy speeds. She drew her sword as Ruby's scythe traveled back in preparation for a swing, but she never had to parry. Ruby jumped off a table and cleared the guard captain in one move. Her scythe slashed at a person cloaked in black directly behind the two.

Weiss turned, dumbfounded. How had she missed this person? The attacker blocked the blow with their dagger before drawing a sword instead. Ruby smirked and began to attack, slowly increasing her speed with each swing. Weiss watched as the blade and scythe exchanged blows… neither of them had the upper hand. Were they both equal in skill? No. Ruby swung her scythe again, but the move was delayed. She had pulled back too far and the assassin didn't miss the opening.

Retreating from a parry, Ruby thrust the end of her scythe forward to force some distance between herself and the cloaked figure. To prevent the loss of ground, Weiss began to attack as well.

As she exchanged blows with the assailant, she realized they were waiting for her to make a mistake. All blows were only to counter hers—it was like the assassin wasn't even trying to win. Weiss narrowed her eyes. This person comes into a holy gathering, kills the king and countless other people, and then doesn't even try to win a fair fight? Her free hand felt for a vial of pig's blood on her waist and she smashed it onto the hilt of her sword. "Freeze!"

The ground around the assailant froze, trapping them in place.

"Gotcha!" Ruby ran forward and ripped through the figure with her scythe. Instead of falling to the ground, however, the assassin shattered.

Weiss and Ruby stood more confused than they'd been in a long while. The assassin wasn't even… real?

Without warning, Weiss was hit from behind, landing heavily on the ground.

/-/-/-/

Yang had been confronted by a cloaked figure while she was chasing after Ruby. Deciding she didn't have time for this, she Ignited a fist into its face. he was surprised to find that it was a fake, but that didn't matter; she had to catch up to her sister.

The scene awaiting her lit her blood aflame. Though still conscious and obviously in pain, Weiss was down for the count while Ruby was being strangled by a hooded figure much like the one she had fought before. Rage narrowed Yang's field of vision. She focused on the assassin. "Ruby!"

Ruby attempted to look at her. "Yang… can't. Breathe…"

"Hang on!" Yang didn't remember commanding Ember Celica to Burn, but it burned brighter than it ever had. She bolted towards the assassin, who dropped Ruby and jumped back to face her. "You monster!"

The heat of Yang's anger spurred her into battle. Instinct told her to fight then and there, but ration told her to lead the assassin away from the others. She could feel power that needed to be released and she knew that she needed the others to get out of this without more injury. It seemed as if the person in black was fine with humoring her.

In the empty streets outside the castle, Yang fought savagely, quickly finding that it was like the figure knew all her moves. That only served to make her madder. It felt as if the anger was materializing around her in a blaze. Every punch hit heavier as she thought of her sister lying limply a ways away.

The assassin managed a counter and cut at Yang's arm; however, it was as if the blade was blunt. There was almost no damage. With an angry scream, Yang punched the assailant in the side. The blow sent the cloaked figure flying. They got up slowly and spit out blood onto the street. This one was real, and Yang wasn't done. She grabbed the assassin's arm with a burning hand and head-butted the figure with everything she had. They dropped to the ground with a thud while Yang's eyes burned a message. "Just try and get up."

The cloaked assassin made a decision. It was time to retreat.

When the shrouded figure hadn't moved for a while, the blonde kicked it. It shattered to pieces, leaving Yang as the only one left standing in the court.

Looking down, she froze.

It didn't just feel like she was burning with anger, she was! Golden flames encircled her arms, fed by adrenaline and rage.

Yang paled. What was this? She thought quickly to try and remember anything that may have warranted this.

"_How did you...?"_

"_A spell."_

Blake.

With that single thought in mind, Yang disappeared into the night.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **Well, the first plot spark is here. What kind of fire do you think it'll make?

**Will you explain the Dust/Aura thing please? **My pleasure! Dust and aura both come in four different elements. Fire, wind, ice, and electricity. (Energy Dust does not exist in this AU.) What element you get depends on your personality.

There are also two types of aura: indirect and direct. I'll use electricity aura as an example. You could have actual electric bolts on you when you activate your aura, or you could have something like a magnetic field instead. The field is indirect even though it's still all about electricity. This is also said to be a matter of personality.

What kind of aura do you think you'd have?

Any questions? Please ask! Also, reviews are much appreciated.

**NEXT: **Intentions


	4. Intentions

~~AAAND START!~~ (Intentions)

When Ruby had recovered enough to stand, she immediately ran to check on Weiss. This was perplexing seeing as her sister had just run off in the opposite direction with the king's killer on her tail. Weiss had been vocal about her bemusement… but Ruby was adamant that Yang would come back. Yang always came back.

Though she refused help at first, Weiss was eventually forced to accept. Pride aside, it was impossible to rouse herself into a sitting position when her whole body was screaming at her to stay down.

And so, the two waited for the adventurer to return. Weiss's guards came to give unhappy reports and Ruby's friends ultimately came back to wait with them, but after a long while, it was clear that Yang would not be returning to the court.

Dawn's first light began to illuminate the kingdom. Now that everyone could actually _see_ all the damage done, the situation became a lot more… real.

Weiss dismissed a guard and turned towards the others. "We need to start looking at the possibility that Ms. Xiao Long is—"

"She's not!" Ruby persisted.

"Have you _seen_ Yang? She once took down six Beowolves by herself!" Jaune's tone was cheery, but for once, even being near Weiss Schnee wasn't enough for him to perk up. Everyone was more than a little unnerved by now.

"No. I _haven't_ seen her," Weiss said pointedly. "Which is why we need to consider the fact that she may have—"

"She's not!" Ruby's voice was shrill.

Weiss exhaled in exasperation. "I didn't say she was! I'm just saying we should consider the _possibility_ that in a battle with an obviously skilled assassin, your sister may have been defeated!"

"And I'm saying there's no way she would lose!" Ruby walked forward until she was inches away from Weiss. "I don't care how skilled the assassin was! Yang's coming home!"

"I don't have time for this!" Weiss growled. "At least fifteen people have been killed today including the king! Do you want me to send men to recover the body or not?"

A stunned silence followed her words.

"I told you she's not…" Ruby looked down at her feet. "She's not dead!" She ran off in the direction she had seen Yang go, hating the taste of the words in her mouth.

"Ruby!" Nora was about to chase after, but Ren held her back. He then turned to glare at Weiss. He wasn't alone.

/-/-/-/

Ruby ran through the streets. "Yang! Yaaaang!" She slowed to a stop in the midst of a battleground. Wooden crates were smashed and smoldering while craters in the road and dents in thick stone walls showed signs of Yang's signature fighting style. There was a faint imprint of a fist remaining on a brick in the street. "Yang…" Ruby approached, the imprint seeing a small patch of blood out of the corner of her eye. She refused to look at it. "Where are you…?" she whispered.

An eerie silence around the scene lay heavy on Ruby's ears. It weighed her down, went through her, and tore her heart as it went. Her cloak offered little warmth from Vale's chill, which now seemed to be coming from within.

"_We need to start looking at the possibility that Ms. Xiao Long is—" _

Ruby squeezed her eyes shut and focused on the lingering heat from the ground.

_ "Don't worry, Ruby, I'll come back. I promise. I'll always come home, okay?"_

Ruby pushed herself up and steadied her breathing. There wasn't a point to staying here anymore. Yang wasn't there. There wasn't a point to worrying, either. There was no way Weiss knew what she was talking about… Home. Yang would come home, so she would wait for her there.

When she opened the door to Rose's Runes, she set up camp. She raided Yang's room and brought down her bearskin blanket and sketchbook. The pages brought back memories of grand stories and discoveries. Ruby flipped through them, remembering Yang's retellings of the areas and the different people she met along the way.

Near the end were two new pages of drawings. One of a misted forest full of trees and another with sketches of a girl with a bow coupled with a sharp gaze.

Now that Yang wasn't there to tell her about them, Ruby realized just how much she liked hearing her stories. They had always been one of her favorite things, but… Ruby gripped the book tighter and looked towards the door standing just a few feet away. If only Yang were as close.

/-/-/-/

Weiss had had a difficult morning. It was hard to maintain composure through the fiasco at the church, which had been converted to a hospital; and the emergency meeting, which hadn't gotten anywhere in the wake of such disaster. The church was far from an organized affair… but it paled in comparison to the meeting.

No one blamed himself or herself and everyone had something different in mind when it came to catching the assassin and restoring order to the kingdom. The only thing people could readily agree on was the fact that this person employed the use of some kind of magic. Perhaps the assassin was a witch… after all, they had been known to appear from time to time.

And, after a painfully long debate, it was decided that there would be a mass funeral at which honors would be given to deserving people based on their actions during the attack. Following this would be a week's worth of mourning until finally, the queen would take her late husband's place as ruler.

As a guard captain at the event, Weiss had been both blamed and commended. Blamed for the death of so many, yet commended for saving many more. Through all of this she apologized and smiled when appropriate, but the talk was unimportant to her. She felt at fault for allowing things to get so out of hand. She hadn't even noticed the assassin when the figure was less than ten feet away. If only… however, Weiss also knew the power of the statement "if only." She could spend all day with "if only," but it didn't bring the murderer to justice. It didn't restore property stolen in the confusion. It didn't heal the wounded or the slight limp in her gait. No. "If only" got her nowhere.

The meeting failed to address anything beyond the immediate and mandatory. Only the obvious or tradition was agreed upon and the guards and council members were disgruntled… even if few of them offered any direction in the first place. Still, one step at a time. Weiss held her tongue and let the guard commander do the talking. The meeting came to a close after the traditional funeral was planned.

The same traditional funeral requiring two hundred perfect runes.

The same traditional funeral that was to be held three days from today.

The same traditional funeral Ruby Rose needed to provide for.

And who had to supervise those provisions? Weiss Schnee. She had all the joy of being that child's direct superior.

The next three days would be… tiring to say the least.

/-/-/-/

Under normal circumstances, simply knocking on a door was no big deal to Weiss. She had been raised as an heiress to a major company and went through extensive training in the kingdom's guard, yet she had been standing outside of Rose's Runes for the past five minutes trying to put together just a few sentences. Jaune's words rang through her head.

_"How could you say that to her?"_

She was aware that she didn't say the most sympathetic things to the rune master earlier, but it was the truth. The truth had to be said at some point, and she shouldn't feel bad about it, so why couldn't she knock? Ruby's friends had been shocked by her words, but their reactions were hardly of concern to her.

Perhaps it was the strange sort of pressure she felt from the other side of the door. It was off-putting and made Vale somehow seem colder. She knew it was the sort of feeling that welcomed one person only. She knew that pressure first hand.

Weiss inhaled, brought her fist up to the door, and knocked. This was business. She had to get it over with. Personal matters had to be thrown aside.

Ruby appeared instantaneously. "Yang?" Hopeful silver eyes narrowed when they met blue instead of lilac. "Oh. It's you."

"Yes, it's me. There's a kingdom order for you," Weiss stated.

Ruby stood in the doorway for a second, studying her. "Shop's closed."

Weiss could tell this wasn't Ruby's normal behavior. A bearskin blanket and journal of some kind lay on the floor near the door. The sight made her feel as if a pair of burning needles had pricked her chest. She pushed the feeling away.

"I am aware you originally had the week off, but due to the current situation Vale is in, your work is a requirement."

"Okay... Give me the order."

Weiss took the form from the inside of her coat, but pulled it away when Ruby reached for it. "As your direct superior, I am to oversee your progress on the runes over the next three days. My things will be brought in by the guards shortly." She shivered against a gust of Vale's never-ending chill. "Well? Are you going to let me in?"

Ruby did not look pleased, but after a little longer, she sighed and stepped out of the doorway with a stiff smile. "Come on in, Ma'am." She did a rather lacking bow.

Regardless, Weiss entered the shop with her head held high. She handed the order form to Ruby and took a seat on a chair near the workbench.

Rose's Runes wasn't much warmer than outside, but at least Ruby had the decency to light the fireplace after Weiss had entered. Weiss waited for Ruby to say something as she brought out her tools, yet nothing came. It wasn't uncomfortable. In fact, Weiss preferred the silence… or rather, she usually did. Actually, she found herself waiting for Ruby to say anything. She couldn't explain it, but seeing Ruby in her current mood reminded her of herself. Back when she lived in the manor. When she would wait for her father or for Winter to return from a business trip... only to be brushed aside when they finally arrived.

Weiss cleared her thoughts and sat silently, legs crossed. There was a knock at the door moments later.

"Captain Schnee! Your things have been fetched, as requested."

She opened the door to see a guard with his arms full of baggage. "Thank you, Lark."

"Captain," he acknowledged. Lark put down the items, then re-equipped his collapsible halberd.

Thinking again of Ruby, Weiss leaned forward and spoke with a low voice. "I want all available men to look into the disappearance of Yang Xiao Long. I also want a written copy of your findings by the funeral."

"Yes, Captain!"

"Good. You are dismissed."

Lark saluted and left.

Weiss lugged in her bags and brought them to the door in the back. "What rooms are available upstairs?"

"The one on the left," Ruby answered.

Ascending up the stairs with great difficulty, Weiss entered the room and dropped all the items onto the small bed with a thump. The room was hardly what she was used to, but it was only for three nights. With nothing on the bed, floors, or really anywhere, it was hard to imagine someone lived here though the lack of dust on the bed suggested otherwise. Weiss was glad she had brought her own furs.

When she returned downstairs, Ruby was reading the order form carefully with the bear skin blanket from earlier on her lap and the journal by her side. Silver eyes peeped above the paper. "So, Ma'am, when are the materials coming?"

"They should arrive early tomorrow." Weiss returned to her seat and watched Ruby prepare the requested mixtures. The scent of pig's blood made her nose want to wrinkle. "Shouldn't you wait to do the mixes?"

"It's faster this way. Now I don't have to do it tomorrow."

"I think you should wait. The solution will expire."

"Just watch, Ma'am," Ruby smirked.

Time lapsed slowly as Weiss was infinitely skeptical of her work. Soon after noon, Ruby decided to get out for a bit and left to buy lunch. Weiss was left alone and she found herself slowly drifting towards the workbench. Dust infused clay sat in wet cloth while pig's blood solutions were sealed in beakers. Normally, people put together mixtures the day it was used. Dust eventually eats away the blood or causes it to harden and goes inactive. It rubbed her the wrong way when Ruby was so cryptic about her methods yet so confident. Weiss's irritation had only made things worse, though.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, the journal caught her attention. She opened it and perused the contents, surprised to find it was a sketchbook. Page after page was filled with well depicted scenes and people. The final drawn page was less than twenty from the end and showed a mysterious girl. Weiss flipped back to a scene near the middle of the book and studied it. It was then Ruby decided to return.

"I'm back, Ma'am—what are you doing?"

Weiss looked up from the book. "I figured I'd look around seeing as I'll be quartered here for a while."

"That's not yours," Ruby said with a surprising frost to her voice.

"Well, I'm sorry." Weiss gestured around with her empty hand. "But, as a guard captain _and_ your superior, I have full rights to anything in your possession while I'm here."

Ruby tore the sketchbook from her hands. "It's not mine, it's Yang's." She put the book and two wrapped objects down. "Why can't you just mind your own business?"

"Because it's my job to mind your business!"

Ruby sighed in frustration.

"Oh, stop it! You're not making this easy!"

"Well at least I'm not acting like I know everything."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're a big, stupid jerk and I hate you!"

Now it was Weiss's turn to sigh. "Just work." Ruby didn't have to like her.

"'Just work,'" Ruby imitated. "Why are you so bossy?"

Weiss growled. "I'm not bossy! Don't say things like that!"

"You come in here and question everything I do. You're staying in my sister's room and you think you can just touch all her stuff without apologizing! Fine. You don't care about me and you don't care about Yang... Ugh, just stop acting like you're perfect!" Ruby exploded.

"I'm. Not. Perfect." Weiss crossed her arms. "Not yet… And I suggest you get back to work. Your insubordination could terminate our contract!"

Ruby scoffed and threw down her tools. "I'm done for the day." As she brushed past Weiss, her voice cut. "I can't believe I thought we could be friends."

Weiss sat back into the chair behind the workbench when the house door had closed. Three more days of this.

Her stomach growled, so she took one of the strange, wrapped objects. A stack of different types of cookies revealed themselves. She exhaled through her nose and pushed the stack aside, wondering why she had expected a real lunch to begin with.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **Howdy! That was a pretty spicy conversation. Well, have a good one!

Any questions? Please ask! Also, reviews are much appreciated.

**NEXT: **The Disappearance of Yang Xiao Long


	5. The Disappearance of Yang Xiao Long

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Disappearance of Yang Xiao Long)

Like a raging meteorite, Yang sped along the dirt path to Forever Fall. Her burning fists far outlasted any Dust spell she knew of and the longer she had to wait to get answers, the angrier she became. Just what was happening to her? Why was this happening to her? An explanation or crash course of some kind would have been nice!

Now, deep within the forest, Yang remembered something she had conveniently forgotten. She didn't know how to find Blake. The blaze around her hands intensified.

Screaming in frustration, she dismounted and took her anger out on a tree. The punch put a hole in the trunk and the flames around her arm quickly caught at just a touch. Yang hardly noticed. "Blake!" she roared. The fire was spreading, gold eating red with a vehement hunger. "Blake! Get out here!" She wheeled around. "Bla—"

There she was, an unreadable look on her face.

"What's happening to me? What did you do?"

"Yang, you need to—"

"What is this?" Yang seethed.

"Yang, you need to calm down!"

"Don't tell me to calm down! Tell me what's happening!" Silence ensued, broken only by her ragged breathing. She grew impatient. "Blake!" Yang shoved her to punctuate her demands, but Blake held her burning gaze steadily.

"Yang…"

"Blake, please!" Yang pleaded, growing desperate.

"Yang, you need to calm down," Blake repeated.

"I can't!" Yang ran a hand through her hair and growled. "I… I don't know what's going on! I just… I looked down and…"

"Just breathe."

Yang took a breath. "Blake, you have to tell me. What did you do?"

"Not here." Blake glanced towards the flaming forest. "Follow me."

/-/-/-/

Blake should have known this would happen. The charred swatch of forest showed her foolishness, yet Blake couldn't bring herself to wish she had let Yang die.

Yang trailed behind her, tracking her every move as if she expected Blake to try and escape. Blake knew she could have gotten away easily, but this was her mess. Someone had to clean it up. Yang deserved to know about what was happening to her.

Blake opened the door to her one room home. It seemed too small a place to house the raging adventurer, but the two sat down at the table regardless.

"Are you ready to talk now?" Yang's eyes glinted from her fire. The flames radiated a heat that felt ominous. There was no avoiding this.

Blake took a candle off of a nearby book and lit it with a finger. "In order to save your life, I unlocked your aura." She drew in a breath. Telling a human about aura was taboo… but that was something she'd long since abandoned the notion of, anyway. "Aura is the manifestation of your soul." When Yang's facial expression didn't change, she went on. "It comes in the four elements of Dust and draws its power from your will and emotions."

"Okay, well, how do I make it go away?"

"It won't go away, but you can deactivate it."

"Well, how do I do that?"

Blake slid the candle across the table. "Imagine this candle is your aura."

Yang looked from her hands to the candle and back again. "O...kay?"

"Now, blow it out."

With a skeptical look, Yang leaned in and blew out the candle. Her flames disappeared along with the tiny fire. "Whoa." She visibly relaxed and slumped against the back of the chair with a relieved breath.

Blake was having a hard time understanding Yang. She'd dropped her anger and accepted aura like it was nothing. Not only this, but even when she was furious, there was no real killer instinct. It felt similar to a tantrum.

"We're going to have to have a long talk about this, Blakey."

And then there was that nickname.

/-/-/-/

Now that the initial panic of having been lit on fire for seemingly no reason had lifted, Yang felt she could finally relax and have a proper conversation. So, the fire wasn't permanent and it didn't seem to be some sort of witchcraft. Even if Blake wouldn't tell her much about how she knew all of this, Yang felt she could trust her. After all, she could be dead right now but here she was. "Well, I guess you're going to have to take responsibility for this…" She smirked and the rather mysterious girl blinked.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"Teach me how to use it! You said it could be both a weapon and a shield—"

"I…"

"Blake, I just burned down part of a forest. If you don't teach me how to use this, I'll probably just burn down the whole thing."

There was a pause. "Are you threatening me?"

"Maybe?"

Blake sighed in defeat. "Fine."

Yang smiled. "Alright, so when do we start?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Why not today?"

"We need to let the forest heal." Yang's confusion prompted Blake to stand and walk to the door. "I'll show you."

Soon, they had returned to the original area of the blaze, but there was no more sign of it. In fact, the scorched areas of the trees were beginning to look as if nothing ever happened. Leaves still fell from their bare limbs, creating an eerie scene. "Aura exists in the balance of the world. Everything that has a soul can have an aura." Blake walked among the trees, trailing her hands along the bark. "Forever Fall's trees always look red because of their aura." She stopped by the sapling Yang had punched through and picked up a branch. "In all actuality, the leaves are green all year long. When they die, they revert back to their original color."

"Wow... Hey, what does your aura look like?" Yang realized she hadn't had a chance to see it.

"You're taking all this pretty well for a… anyone."

Yang stood a bit taller. "I've been known to keep an open mind. They kicked me out of the grand church for that, you know." She'd punched a bishop after he'd said some things about her lifestyle.

"So, you don't believe in the Goddess?" Blake's eyes were wide.

"Oh, sorry, do you? I didn't mean to—uh… That's not a deal breaker, is it?" Yang turned sheepish. It wouldn't be the first time she was kicked out for her lack of religion.

"No, you're fine. I don't either, I just…" Blake shook her head. "I'll still teach you."

"That's great!" Yang smiled again. "So, Blakey, how about that aura?"

Blake rolled her eyes, but Yang could have sworn there was a curve to her lips.

/-/-/-/

Blake had never seen a human like this before. Granted, she'd never had any real conversations with humans and Yang didn't know she was a Faunus, but still. Yang was the opposite of any human stereotype and her aura… like her smile it was brilliant and warm. Blake was having a hard time putting together sentences. Instincts told her to run away before something bad happened, but she was also curious and obligated to help and that made her stay.

_"Curiosity killed the cat, Blake." _A face she did not want to see came to mind.

"Electricity, huh?" Yang interrupted her thoughts. "That's pretty shocking. Am I right?" She winked as Blake groaned. They continued walking back to the house in silence before Yang spoke again. "Why do you live out here, anyway?"

"I prefer this to the city," Blake stated simply. She hoped she wouldn't have to elaborate and was glad when Yang accepted her answer.

"Ruby and I grew up on a small island off the coast."

"Your sister?"

"Yup! We loved hearing stories about the mainland, but when we actually got there, things weren't like the stories. On my travels I see a lot of places, but my favorites are never cities." Was Yang, the human, offering her empathy?

"Why didn't you just move back to the island?"

"Things... wouldn't have been the same." The silence suddenly became heavier.

Blake felt like she shouldn't have asked.

Night fell quickly after the two returned to the house. Yang offered to sleep on the floor and, for the first time, Blake actually found herself dozing off in the presence of a human. For a while, it was a peaceful night until dreams began to creep into her slumber. She awoke with a start and looked around, hand on Gambol Shroud's hilt. Moonlight seeped in through the window and landed on Yang. There were no signs of danger. No signs of him.

Adam Taurus, her old partner, constantly haunted her dreams ever since that day months ago. The day she let him die. After that, no matter how far away she got from Atlas, the memories of her past stayed with her.

Yang stirred. "Blake, you awake?"

"Yeah."

"Can't sleep?"

Golden eyes reflected the moonlight as they moved to focus on her. "If I could, I wouldn't be awake."

Yang propped herself up on one elbow. "I was just thinking about Ruby. She's probably really worried since I left without saying anything."

Blake waited for her to continue, but they both sank back into silence for a while.

"Blake?"

"Hmm?"

"I used to read Ruby to sleep every night. You have a lot of books, so… want me to read to you?"

Blake exhaled in amusement. "Sure, Yang." She wasn't sure why she agreed to something so silly. Maybe all this time she spent alone was getting to her… Somehow, she knew that wasn't the reason. It didn't take long for Yang to pull a random book from the shelf near the door and situate herself on the floor next to the bed. Blake recognized the novel as one of her old favorites as soon as the adventurer began to read.

"'Your hopes have become my burden. I will find my own liberation.'"

/-/-/-/

Yang demanded a spar the minute had learned the basics of controlling her aura. Of course, she knew she probably couldn't win, but what was better than hands-on experience? She was more than delighted when Blake had agreed to the match. They stood opposite each other in the place where Yang had trained a day ago and raged a day before that.

Black lightning appeared around Blake and fed Gambol Shroud, changing the weapon into her chain scythe. Yang called forth her own aura and the flames now encompassed her whole body.

Blake had told her that aura could be used to activate Dust without the need of blood. All she needed to do was channel her aura into the runes. Weapons like Blake's were forged with Dust, making them maneuverable with direct contact from aura. Apparently, most weapons made in Vale were the same, including Ember Celica.

Yang grinned and moved the gauntlets over her hands with her aura. Though it seemed an easy task now, it took her until early that morning to learn. She had channeled her aura subconsciously before, but manipulating things or activating Dust spells without the haze of anger was difficult. "Bring it on, Blakey!"

Blake entered her fighting stance and smirked. "Don't think I'll go easy on you."

There was a pause when their eyes met, as if the entire forest had frozen, and then, action. Yang blasted forward in a flash of gold, but Blake already knew the move. She launched Gambol Shroud and used the ribbon to swing it in front of Yang. By the time she had dodged the projectile, the sword user was behind her. Blake caught the end of her chain scythe and changed it into katana form. The edge pressed into her opponent's throat. Yang could feel the electricity in waves.

Thinking fast, she grabbed the blade and used her strength to pull it down. Her aura pooled around her palm to prevent it from getting cut. Blake used this opportunity to place a hand on her right shoulder and shock her. Yang felt her muscles lock up and was easily toppled off balance. For a moment, she had expected to lose then and there, but at the last second, she regained control of her muscles and attempted a sweep kick to put some distance between them. When Blake jumped out of the way, Yang got up and advanced.

A heated exchange of blows followed as gauntlet hit sword. A particularly heavy hit broke Blake's guard, but a follow-up did not connect. Instead, the adventurer punched through an after image and staggered forward. The figure sent shockwaves through her body, but it wasn't like Blake's direct touch. She stood, scanning the clearing, when she spotted a black blur out of her peripheral vision.

Yang blocked the chain scythe just in time. Blake didn't let that slow her down and sent a volley of ranged attacks her way. Gambol Shroud hummed with electrical current, making the blade sharper and faster. Even if the initial hit was blocked, the shock that followed required more energy to neutralize. Yang was starting to feel fatigued from using her aura so much.

To halt the attacks, she grabbed Gambol Shroud's ribbon and pulled. She braved the electric current coursing through it and used her strength to reel in her opponent, but Blake increased the intensity at a random interval and Yang felt her muscles freeze for the second time.

She cursed just before a fist connected with her face.

/-/-/-/

Yang showed a lot of endurance in a battle of aura for a beginner. She hadn't even flinched when Blake used her semblance… but that drive wasn't enough to help her win. Blake had years more of both experience and training on her. Blake had to hand it to her, though. It was a good match. Fun, even. After Yang had regained her breath, they headed back to Blake's house.

Yang flopped onto a chair and sprawled out at the small table. "I'm beat. Aura takes a lot more work than I thought!"

"It takes time."

"Well, I can see why. Blake, what was that thing you did during the spar? It looked like you were there, but then you just disappeared. Was that aura, too?"

"Yes. It's called a semblance. Everyone's semblance is different—mine lets me make clones of myself." Blake sat on her bed and pulled up a book to read.

"Sounds like the perfect alibi," Yang hinted with a smirk.

Blake was sure that was supposed to be a joke, but she couldn't find it funny. It was the truth. Her clones were copies that helped her run away. It was the same on that day as well. "I suppose it is," she answered coolly. "But I can only go so far away from them before they deactivate."

"Oh." Yang quieted for a moment. "So, how can I get one of these semblances?"

"It takes time," Blake repeated as she read.

"Looks like I'm going to be here for a while," Yang groaned.

Blake stopped in the middle of a page turn. She hadn't thought about how long Yang was going to be here… It was mildly disturbing to her that she almost didn't mind, either. The statement went unacknowledged.

Out of nowhere, her Faunus ears picked up a distant growl. She quickly closed her book and took Gambol Shroud from the wall next to her. It had been a while since a Grimm had found her house. She hoped it wouldn't end like last time. Fixing things was not her forte.

"Ah… Blake?" Yang looked confused.

"I heard a growl. An Ursa must have followed us back to the house."

"Wait! That was, uh, me."

Blake stopped at the door. "What?"

"Feel like dinner? I'm so hungry I could eat a Grimm."

She lowered her weapon. "That… sounds fine."

Yang grinned. "Great!" There was a pause. "Did you seriously think I was an Ursa?"

Blake turned to the side to hide her heating face. "You sounded more bear-like than one," she quipped.

Yang only laughed.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **Heeey! Blake and Yang have a great dynamic, you feel? It's funny how Ruby and Weiss are going through the freezer while Yang and Blake are living it up. Some questions came in, so I'll answer 'um and get outta here. Thanks for all the wonderful queries. Have a great one!

**So, the whole world worships the Goddess, right? If Origin Week is so important, why didn't the other kingdoms come to see it?** Belief in the Goddess is pretty much worldwide, but it is not the only religion and each kingdom practices that religion differently. Origin Week is like the Christian Christmas. Multiple countries celebrate it and it is pretty widespread, but people don't congregate to one area to observe it and they may also celebrate it differently depending on where they're from.

**Do the Faunus practice a different religion? **Much like how we are, the Faunus are really all over the board as far as religion. Some Faunus may believe in the Goddess (these people are normally high-class Faunus), some don't believe at all (the lower class ones, AKA, the majority), and Faunus in rural areas have a separate set of beliefs entirely (these Faunus are normally called traditional Faunus). I wont go into detail on the rural Faunus seeing as that would involve some major spoilers...

Any questions? Please ask! Also, reviews are much appreciated.

**NEXT: **Suspicion


	6. Suspicion

~~AAAND START!~~ (Suspicion)

Ruby sighed for what must have been the millionth time. The funeral was tomorrow and only a small portion of the work had yet to be completed but every chance Ruby got, she had to look at the door and sigh that same deep sigh with that same look on her face. Her friends came by to try and cheer her up, but Weiss had to shoo them away due to the loss of productivity.

Weiss started thinking hours ago that chatter would be much better than this. She had come home with an actually respectable lunch she really shouldn't have had to get and there was Ruby. Head on her workbench, looking towards the door and sighing like that was the only way she could breathe. Weiss was at her wit's end. Ruby pretended as if she wasn't even there unless there was something related to business to attend to. On the rare occasions that Weiss did, in fact, exist, it was only so Ruby could glare daggers at her.

Oh, please. As if Weiss was the reason Yang had disappeared. Who knows, maybe the adventurer had something to do with these assassinations. The innocent never run… Another sigh interrupted her brooding. "Will you stop that?" Weiss snapped.

"Stop what? Working?" Ruby put down her tools.

"No, stop sighing like that!"

"So, you want me to stop breathing?" Oddly blank yet rigid eyes bore into Weiss's.

"And you wonder why I say you act like a child!" Weiss strode up and forcefully dropped Ruby's half of the food onto the workbench. "You've been sighing like that since yesterday! Well, I've had enough. Either you stop sighing or I won't tell you what may have happened to your sister!"

"You know what happened to her?" Ruby stood and closed quite a bit of distance between the two.

"W—Well, not yet. But I have my guards working on it! Sighing like that is not going to bring her ba—"

"I know that," the Ruby interrupted. "And I don't want to hear it from you."

"Then why are you—" Weiss couldn't even finish the question in her annoyance.

Of all things, Ruby sighed and continued working. "This isn't interrupting my productivity, is it?"

"No…" the guard captain admitted.

"Then, is there a problem, Ma'am?"

Weiss narrowed her eyes. "Yes, there's a problem with it! That's what I've been trying to tell you! All your sighing is beyond irritating!"

"Oh." Ruby pounded away oh a sheet of metal.

Weiss wished she had let their visitors stay.

/-/-/-/

Ruby fought another sigh. Though her work helped distract her, it wasn't nearly enough to keep her mind off of the fact that Yang still wasn't home. Especially with Weiss around.

Weiss, who was staying in her sister's room. Weiss, who went through her sister's things. Weiss, who wouldn't shut up about how the death of the king was a bigger deal than her sister's disappearance. Weiss, who got annoyed at everything and was pleased by absolutely nothing. Weiss who… who… who was just Weiss!

Ruby glared at her Weiss's back. Apparently, saving someone's life wasn't reason enough for at least some personable behavior. If only Yang were here. But of course, Yang not being here was the whole reason for her anguish. Even if Ruby wanted to blame Weiss, she knew it wouldn't be right. No one person was at fault for the events at the Origin Demonstration.

She inhaled deeply and was about to exhale just as audibly when a pair of icy blues stopped her in her tracks. Weiss stared her down until she had let out the air without any noise. Then, she hmphed and looked away.

Ruby fought to keep her temper under control. It was just until tomorrow... Was there a keyword for time travel?

If she could, she would have voiced her opinions more clearly, but it was just as Weiss said. That would jeopardize their contract. If Ruby made enough money, Yang wouldn't have to do any more quests outside of Vale, but who would want to make a deal with a rune master that the kingdom had shunned? She had to put up with this if she wanted to reach her goal.

An internal growl cut off that train of thought. All of her problems and solutions were directly related Weiss! For good measure, she sent more daggers towards her. This time seemed to be a success of some sort, for Weiss shivered and went to add more logs to the fire.

She'd probably complain later about having to do that.

The sound of shuffling and labored breathing outside the door broke the silence. "Captain Schnee! This is Lark! I have the report you requested on Ms. Yang Xiao Long." Ruby gripped her knees to prevent herself from flying to the door and opening it before Weiss, who walked at an excruciatingly slow pace towards the wooden frame.

"Who is this?" she asked without fully acknowledging Lark. Whoever was out there was not what she was expecting.

"Uhm, this is…"

"Sir Peter Port. It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain Schnee."

/-/-/-/

Weiss tried thinking of a way to wipe off her hand without causing a scene as she, the guard, and this grotesque drunkard all sat around Ruby's workbench. "Sir Port" had insisted on shaking hands. It was not a pleasant experience.

"Ah, you must be Ruby Rose! I've heard many stories about you. All good, of course," he winked. Both Weiss and Ruby made a strained face—on the same page for once.

"Sorry, Captain… he was the only lead I could find," Lark whispered.

"Lark, I thought I said I wanted a written report!" Weiss hissed.

"H—He insisted on coming! What was I supposed to do?"

"Tell him no!" Weiss cast a glance towards the man. "Look at him! He's drinking on a religious holiday!"

Peter continued before Lark could say anything in return. "I'm sure you all would like to know how I came into the acquaintance of Ms. Xiao Long." He took a swig from a flask.

"That would be nice," Ruby offered.

Weiss wasn't sure anyone really wanted to hear.

"Actually, she comes to the tavern I frequent often. Like a torch in the night, she lights up the dark interior of the bar," Port illustrated. "Her title is most fitting."

Weiss narrowed her eyes. "Her… title?"

"Why, did she not tell you? Blazing Blondie! I've had the pleasure of enjoying a few drinks with her. We've traded quite a few stories." He pulled out an already damp handkerchief and wiped at his forehead. What business Yang had with this man, Weiss couldn't even begin to guess. However, since she was an adventurer, it was probably some… quest of sorts. "For example, I told her of my days as a knight nearly forty years ago here in this very kingdom."

"No way… you're the one with the grandpa who sold cabbage?" Ruby sat in bewilderment.

"Ha ha! So she passed on those stories! Yes, that would be me."

Lark spoke up to move the conversation along. "Um… Sir Port, if you wouldn't mind getting to the events on the night of the Origin Demonstration?"

"Of course, child!" He took another swig and cleared his throat. "I was passing by the stables—on the lookout for the assassin—when I saw her running towards them. She looked to be in a hurry, mounted her horse, and left! Her gauntlets were on fire, I might add."

"Her horse was reported missing. That would clear things up," Lark reasoned.

Weiss was skeptical. "Her gauntlets were on fire?"

"Yes! Her fists glowed a fearsome carmine as she left towards the city gates!"

"She wasn't hurt, was she?" Ruby demanded.

"She looked like she had been through a magnificent battle. I could only imagine what foe she must have fought. Perhaps the assassin themselves! Perhaps a group of looters!" He put a sweaty hand on Ruby's shoulder. "But worry not! I saw no evidence of mortal injury!" Peter turned and stroked his mustache. "You didn't happen to have learned a new Dust spell recently, have you? I have never seen such a fire."

"I… I did."

Weiss knew Ignite didn't last that long… though what reason had she to believe this washed-up knight? Yang's weapon used Burn and alcohol had a way of skewing vision.

"I see. Well, I'm very sorry, but this was all I saw of her," Port said.

"Even if I were to believe you about the fire," Weiss began, "The fact remains that Ms. Xiao Long fled after the attack. Now that the possibility of her having been defeated has been ruled out, there is one more thing we need to know. Why did she leave?"

"Maybe Yang was chasing the assassin," Ruby speculated.

Weiss put a hand down on the table. "Or, she was helping the assassin escape."

Ruby stood up. "Are you saying that Yang was part of this? Yang?" She shook with anger.

"I doubt Ms. Xiao Long would do anything of the sort," Port agreed.

"Well, until I'm convinced otherwise, it's a possibility."

"I can't believe you," Ruby snarled. "She saved our lives and this is how you repay her? By suspecting her of working with an assassin?"

Lark defended his captain. "The assassin is believed to be a witch, so the fire would make sense."

"Stay out of this," Ruby spat.

He flinched.

"Look, her motive for running away has yet to be known!" Weiss exasperated. "I know I could be dead right now, but I'm not! The assassin… could have dealt a mortal blow but didn't! Maybe there's a connection."

Ruby narrowed her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry the assassin didn't kill you."

"She's an adventurer!"

"What's wrong with that?"

Weiss exhaled. Ruby blew everything she said out of proportion and, frankly, she was done. "Lark, get the carts ready. I want all the materials for the funeral out of here as soon as possible. I'm leaving by tonight."

He looked happy to go.

As soon as the door closed, Ruby stalked upstairs, mumbling something like, "I'm glad."

Now, it was just Weiss and Port. She shifted uncomfortably and tried to find the man's eyes under his thick eyebrows. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

He laughed. "Not at all!"

Weiss grunted in disappointment.

After quite some time, he man spoke again. "I believe you make an excellent guard."

Weiss perked up and smiled. Finally, some recognition. "You really think so?"

"Most surely!" He looked at her for a while more. "But despite all this, something troubles you."

"Yes…" He said he was a knight. Would he understand?

"Dear girl, confess to me your strife!"

Weiss thought it sounded odd to be addressed without her rank in mind. Should she really talk to a drunkard about all of this? But, whom else could she talk to? "Well… I-I think there were better choices for the guard's rune master!" She eagerly awaited a response from the man, who simply took out another flask to drink from.

"That's preposterous!"

She wasn't expecting that. Anger coursed through her veins. "Excuse me?"

"Only Ruby Rose would have been able to craft two hundred runes in such a short period of time! Perhaps you only feel this way because you two are at odds?"

"So you think it's fine for a child to hold a position people's lives depend on? She won't even listen to her commanding officer! Of course we're 'at odds'! I am far more exceptional, but I get no respect!"

Port's eyebrows furrowed. "With all due respect, your exceptional skill on the battlefield is matched only by your poor attitude."

Weiss's anger flowed freely now. "How dare you!"

"My point exactly. I see a girl before me who has spent her entire life getting exactly what she wanted."

The guard captain crossed her arms in indignation. "That's not even remotely true!" He didn't know a thing about her!

Even if she couldn't see them, she felt Port's eyes on her. "So the outcome did not fall in your favor. Do you really believe that acting in such a manner would cause those in power to reconsider their decision?"

He did have a point. No matter what Weiss did or how she felt, the fact remained that Ruby was going nowhere until she could no longer provide for the guard. Her age only proved that this would not be a temporary arrangement as Weiss had come to regard it.

"So instead of fretting over what you don't have, savor what you do." Sir Port took another drink.

Thing is, Weiss thought that maybe he was right.

/-/-/-/

Ruby muffled a frustrated scream into her pillow. Emotions swirled around in her head, weaving together and overlapping until she couldn't even pick them out anymore. She was happy Yang was fine, but then why did she leave and when would she return? And what was wrong with Weiss? The guard captain would probably suspect her own family of treason at the slightest infraction!

She didn't know how long she lay on her bed, but at some point, Weiss had come to her door to inform her she was leaving. Ruby didn't even answered. She didn't want to talk to her. Ever. Again.

Night fell and the rune master dreamed of Patch and the time when her parents were still alive… and then when they disappeared. Back when they were alive, her parents had been two of the best adventurers in Remnant. Then one day, they left and never came home. Almost every adventurer died in action and her parents were no exception. Even they were taken by the adventurer's curse.

Luckily, her uncle Qrow took her and Yang in. Unluckily, he drank himself to death a few years later.

After that, Yang started adventuring to pay the bills. Ruby had been powerless to stop her, and now...

Ruby awoke slowly. She had been alone often since Yang had started adventuring, but at least she had known where Yang was and why she was there. Without even that, she felt lonely on a whole new level. She'd convinced herself long ago that if she wanted, she could just go find Yang and finish the quest with her. Even though it had never come to that, it was impossible to do now. Was there even a quest to finish?

When most of the negative emotion was out of Ruby's system, she took the time to think her situation over. Yang was alive so therefore, Yang would come home. She would have to explain her absence later. For now, even if Ruby wanted to grab her scythe and go, she knew she should wait.

/-/-/-/

The scent of funeral flowers was almost nauseating. White lilies and gladioli were abound in the town square. Not one area was without a splash of pure white.

A stage had been set up with a runway going from one edge of the clearing to the other and People were packed together beneath it holding flowers bouquets of their own to offer to the late king and nobles. Since dawn, the caskets of the dead had been on display down the runway. The king's sat in the center on a little stage of it's own. It was so quiet, the kingdom may well have been deserted.

The same speaker from the Origin Demonstration cleared his throat. "Citizens of Vale, we are gathered today to mourn the passing of those who have gone to join the Goddess. They met Her too soon. The ancient scriptures say, 'The Goddess with Her loving hands doth pull us closer in our prime, hold us at our pitiful end, and love us eternally with Her endless endearment. May She have a place for us, for we have served Her until our dying day.'

"But, my dearest citizens of Vale, Her love does not extend to all! 'For those who tarnish Her name She doth push asunder.' The assassin who has taken the lives of all those mourned today will not join our exalted nobles or tarnish the presence of our beloved ruler!"

The service went on for three hours.

Eventually, it was time for the nobles' corpses to join their souls. Families climbed onto the runway, dipped their bouquets in pig's blood, laid them out on the caskets, and said goodbye.

Howl was cast, sending petals high into the air. Finally, the speaker's voice rang out one more time, "In Her Dust may you Burn." The caskets burst into flames, taking the body inside with it. It was a haunting sight. Stained petals rained down upon the fiercely burning caskets, surrounded on all sides by snowy white.

This was done fourteen times until, surrounded by ash, lay the king's casket. Obviously the most ornate, there were designs plated with gold on rich, dark wood. It was polished to perfection and carved with ancient scripture. Truly fit for a king—and perhaps a museum if it weren't about to be turned to ash.

The scent of flowers and burning flesh assaulted the citizens' noses, but they refused to acknowledge it. The moment the speaker turned to the large casket, many in the crowd began to cry hysterically.

The queen sauntered to the center of the square platform and began to speak in a voice that seemed to have been dragged through the ash of the dead before she removed them from her mouth. It was as though the flavor of the words was satisfactory yet distasteful at the same time for she spoke slowly but carried an urgency that quieted the sobbing.

"I came to Vale many years ago. Merely a princess, I was made queen after the passing of our late leader's first wife." She paused and looked down at her bouquet of purple tulips. A single, red rose peaked from the top.

The crowd was eager to offer her silent compassion.

"Our leader, my husband, was… a great ruler," she praised. "As his queen, I could be no more satisfied. I hope to draw inspiration from his many victories and his legacy as I rule in his footsteps."

Everyone nodded and bowed, accepting it as the official announcement of succession.

The prince, too, spoke to the crowd. He wore a golden diadem that was a bit big on him and strode forward with soft confidence. "My dad had a vision for this kingdom. Now that he has gone to join the Goddess, it's up to us as the ones left behind to see it through. As his son, I will do my duty to this kingdom and I swear I will make him proud. So, let us see his body off."

The citizens agreed and passed their flowers forward. Pounds of white found their way to the outskirts of the runway. They were Howled into the air and fell as Royals doused their offerings in pig's blood and set it on the coffin.

The red dripped down the carvings and into runes near the bottom. At a word, the coffin was Burned.

After all else had been consumed, the late king's red-hot crown lie in a sea of ash. It was Frozen and carried off by the speaker as he trailed the queen and prince. The ash would be scattered later.

The mourning had begun.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**NEXT: **The Forge


	7. The Forge

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Forge)

The fogged window muted dawn's first light, creating the perfect mellow wake-up call. Blake rolled out of bed and landed nimbly next to Yang.

A serious expression lay on Yang's face as she slept—one the Faunus would never have guessed to be there. She had expected something more relaxed and couldn't help but wonder what she had gone through to deprive her of that.

There were a lot of things Blake didn't know about Yang. Before, she would have been fine with that, but as time went on, she found herself listening a little more intently every time the blonde mentioned something about herself.

"Harmless" curiosity about a strange human was turning into just plain curiosity about Yang and she knew that couldn't possibly be a good thing.

Yang stirred. "Mm… Morning, Blake," Yang mumbled, stretching out on the floor's fur rug. "You're up early today."

Blake rolled her eyes. She woke up at the same time every day. "Good morning." She quickly changed into her day clothes and put Gambol Shroud on her back. "Ready to train?" Turning around, she found Yang lying on her side, trying to turn away from the light.

"Give me five minutes?"

Blake rolled her eyes for the second time that morning and tossed Yang's leather jacket and tasset near her. Both of them knew it was never just five minutes.

"Okay, okay, I'm getting up," Yang groaned.

After eating a quick breakfast and taking care of Bumblebee, who had grown quite used to Blake, the two left towards their usual area for some aura training. Yang was improving very quickly. It was as if she didn't simply control the fire, she became the fire. It was captivating… but still not enough for her to win in anything yet.

Even so, time went fast. "Wow, it's already almost time for lunch," Yang whistled. She stretched out her shoulder as she looked at the sun. "So, any idea of what you want to eat?"

"Fish," Blake answered without thinking. Was that even a question?

"Um, Blake, it's not like I don't like fish, but we've had that for almost every meal since I've been here."

Blake narrowed her eyes. "What's your point?"

"Can we eat something else, please?"

She knew this was bound to come up sooner or later but she hoped she could keep having fish for at least a few more days. It was so good it wasn't fair. She wasn't going to allow herself to just give it up. "How about this, Yang? If I win the next spar, we keep having fish."

Yang brightened. Ever the optimist, she was definitely up for the challenge. "Alright, but if I win, no fish for a week."

That was, in a word, unacceptable. "Deal."

"Bring it on, Blakey!"

Blake unsheathed her weapon in fluid yet calculated move and lowered into her fighting stance. She felt confident and mirrored Yang's smirk. This time, neither of them was going to wait around.

Light bloomed in the middle of the clearing when they clashed. The sound of metal, the roar of flame, the buzz of electric current… They fell into the complex rhythm of combat. Adrenaline invigorated the two and whether they were locked in a heated exchange or circling each other looking for weakness, there was a hum in the air that didn't come from Blake's aura. Most of all, it was fun.

Blake almost couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun. It was freeing. She could tell Yang having a good time as well; she wouldn't stop smiling. Immersing herself back into the fight, Blake defended against a two hit combo and returned the aggression. Gambol Shroud conversed with Ember Celica in a passionate debate of who was stronger… but one of them held back.

Blake knew that if she could draw the fight out long enough, Yang would burn herself out. Sure enough, a while later, her response to the attacks started to slow and her defense lessened in fortitude. Blake saw her chance and took it without a second thought. The image of her victory meal popped into mind and spurred her onwards.

Blake propelled herself forwards and the Yang took the bait, shifting her balance to meet the attack. Before the two collided, Blake used her semblance to create a clone and veered off in a wide circle just outside of her peripheral vision. When Yang realized it was a clone, it was too late. Blake's blade was already pressuring her jugular to add to the forest's color scheme.

Normally, they would have stopped the spar here. Blake waited for her opponent to admit defeat, but the admission didn't come. Perplexed, she was about to speak when Yang's aura faltered unexpectedly. She had literally burned herself out. Drops of vermillion stained the blade along with the addition of a single strand of golden hair. The two froze.

Yang looked down. One beat. Two. Three beats passed.

A scream made Blake's second set of ears strain against her bow in an instinctive attempt to lay flush against her head and she jumped back as a firestorm erupted from Yang. She spun around, burning a furious gold. Instead of lilac, Blake's eyes met red. Glowing red. If Grimm had souls would they, too, burn like this?

"Blake…" Yang's voice was a low growl. "What. The hell?" Something was barely tangible in this moment. Murderous intent. Out of all the times Blake had experienced it before, it hadn't truly inspired fear. Not until now. Maybe it was because she hadn't cared enough to feel it. That alone inspired its own fear.

Blake took a step back. Yang blasted forward.

When she blocked a right hook, Blake realized that Yang's aura still felt the same. She was still her; this was no mishap or abomination.

Everything clicked in that moment. "Yang."

"What?" Yang snarled_._

"Your semblance… this is it."

Yang froze, startled. She blinked twice—the second time, lilac returned. A brilliant smile graced her lips. Her anger had flown off with the breeze stirring the canopies.

She gestured around, looked at Gambol Shroud, and laughed.

It was then Blake found beauty in the burning gold. She didn't have long to admire it, however, for the blonde collapsed backwards into the grass with her flames extinguished. The small cut on her throat had already healed, leaving a bit of dried blood, which her scarf easily covered.

"Yang?" Blake walked over to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just…" Yang took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were playful. "I guess I won."

Blake grimaced, having completely forgotten about their deal.

Yang took one look at her and laughed again, pumping a fist into the air. "We're having rabbit today!"

/-/-/-/

Yang sat at the table with Blake. It had taken her a while to trap a rabbit, so they had to wait until dinner to eat it. As a result, Blake got to have her fish one last time. Yang had never been praised for not catching something before… but it made Blake happy so she was glad it worked out. One more meal of fish hadn't killed her.

The rabbits in Forever Fall had red fur to blend in with their surroundings. Yang wrinkled her nose in disgust when she remembered that Weiss's coat was lined with the stuff. Then, she got to thinking about Ruby. Finally, her appetite was gone almost as soon as her mouth had started to water.

She wondered if her sister was doing okay, if the assassin hadn't wounded her too badly, if Weiss hadn't been overly cold to her, and if she wasn't mad or worried about her leaving. She thought about it every night after she combed her hair. Even if staying with Blake was enjoyable, she knew she couldn't stay here forever.

Yang had come to get answers and she had stayed to get her aura under control, not to master it. She knew she should leave now that she had accomplished all that. It had been about a week and a half since she'd left.

A lot can happen in a week and a half.

Yang looked up to see Blake looking at her from behind a book with a slightly raised eyebrow.

She cleared her throat. "Uh, Blakey?"

Blake put down her book. "Yes?"

"Thank you for letting me stay here and train with you. I'm glad you saved my life."

Blake looked perplexed. "You're welcome…"

"But, I can't stay any longer. Ruby's probably worried about me. I have to get back."

Blake looked at her for a long time.

Yang felt a little guilty that it looked like she just came here to get what she wanted and leave. Well, she did, but…

Finally, she got a reply. "Aren't you going to eat first?" Blake had picked up the book again, but was still looking at her.

"Oh, uh, y—yeah!" She began shoveling food into her mouth.

"Yang?"

"Mhm?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about aura when I unlocked yours. You had a right to know."

Yang shrugged and swallowed her food. "Don't worry about it."

Blake nodded and added quietly, "But, you probably shouldn't tell anyone about aura. People aren't… the most receptive to it."

"Why's that? Aura's awesome! If everyone had it, the Grimm would be running from us!"

"That may be true, but no one really knows about it. You might be mistaken for a witch."

That made sense, but it begged the question... "Then, how do you know about it?"

"I was raised outside of the kingdoms. If you can't fight, you can't survive," Blake said curtly. There was a ghost of a frown on her face as she began to read again.

"Oh." Yang knew she shouldn't pry about Blake's past and decided to leave it at that.

/-/-/-/

Blake watched Yang mount Bumblebee. There wasn't really anything left to say and she didn't try to come up with something.

Yang approached her on her horse. "So, this is it, huh?"

"Yeah. This is it." Would this be the last time they'd meet? A week and a half ago, she would have been happy to never see this human again, but now…

"Thanks again, Blakey. For everything."

Blake looked down for a moment. The nickname stopped bothering her a while ago and she actually found it endearing. That made it more uncomfortable than something meant to be demeaning. She was used to that from humans. She wasn't used to this.

"You're welcome, Yang."

For a moment, Yang just looked at her as if she was trying to draw up the courage for whatever she had to say. "Uh, Blake? I was thinking..."

"Oh, no."

The adventurer laughed and drew herself up. "No, really! I was hoping we'd… um… meet again?" She paused. "I guess what I'm saying is, do you want to be friends?"

Blake's eyes widened. Sure, she'd had partners and acquaintances, but, a friend? Had she ever had such a thing? Did she want it? She was far beyond worrying about Yang's trustworthiness at this point and… Blake supposed that if she did, in fact, want a friend then Yang would be her best option.

"Is that a no?" Yang's face was falling fast.

Blake took a deep breath, shook her head, and smiled. "No, I think I'd like that."

Yang beamed. "Great! I'll see you again. Soon."

Blake felt a little bit of pride at being the cause of that absolutely radiant grin. She normally took those away from people. "Okay. Goodbye, Yang."

"Bye, Blakey!" And at that, she rode out of the Forever Fall.

Blake watched until she disappeared into the mist then found her way back inside. The first thing she did was remove her bow and flex the stiffness from her ears. The second thing she did was open a chest at the foot of her bed and take out another ribbon to tie on.

A red and white mask stared at her from the depths of the container. She wondered what Yang would do if she knew about her past. She was determined not to let her find out. Tying the new ribbon on over her ears, she sighed and sat at the table. It was quiet. That didn't really bother her, though, and she began to read from where she left off earlier.

But beginning was all she could do. Focus seemed to elude her and instead, her mind drifted back to Yang.

She contemplated how long "soon" could really be.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN:** A little short but also adorable. I should warn you... a Weisspocalypse is on its way. Be prepared, for the storm stops for no one.

**NEXT: **Black, and White Highlights


	8. Black, and White Highlights

~~AAAND START!~~ (Black, and White Highlights)

The speaker reclined into a chair with a groan. "Ugh, the Goddess this, the Goddess that. Makes me sick. Vale used to be full of sharper knives in the drawer, that's for sure." He looked at the girl across from him from under the brim of his hat.

She stared back with a playful twist on a blank face. Half a piece of cake sat on a plate between them. She slid it closer to herself.

"You know, you don't talk much."

She smirked and rolled her eyes.

He took that as a kind of encouragement—not that he needed any—and leaned his head back again to gaze at the castle's decorative ceiling. "'Her Majesty' has got me working around the clock. I don't see why we can't just shove the work off onto some underling. It'd be worth every penny." He peeked at the girl again but didn't get any reactions. She was supposed to be his subordinate for the time being. That being said, he hadn't seen her do much except for laze around and watch him work. "You're supposed to be my bodyguard."

She looked up.

"Shouldn't you, I dunno, _guard _me?"

She looked like she was contemplating something, then changed the way she was holding the fork—now spearing the cake instead.

"Oh, thanks. I was afraid that was going to give me high blood pressure," the speaker said, partially giving up. "Really, though. I don't even know your name. If it were up to me, I would—"

"Do _what_, Roman?"

He stiffened in his seat. Speaking of the devil, there she was at the top of the stairs. Roman laughed, but it didn't come out the way he wanted with his nerves the way they were. "Ah, not hire other, more trustworthy people?"

His so-called bodyguard lowered her fork and directed her full attention to the queen.

"I was going to…" he tried to rescue himself.

Emerald and Mercury appeared behind the queen on the stairs. Emerald spoke out of spite. "Let me guess. You'd compromise our plan by adding more people to mess it up in ways you could only do if we let you out of the castle." Roman never did like her. She followed the queen around like a pet.

"He gets out quite a lot, actually," Mercury corrected.

"On a tight leash."

"Yeah, and with a muzzle."

His bodyguard giggled silently.

Roman wished he had a knife about now...

"Quiet," the queen commanded. "Did I not say we should keep our numbers low?"

Roman scoffed. "Uh…" He opened his coat and pulled out scrolls upon scrolls of parchment. First, two small ones. "Eh...?" Next, a few larger ones. "Eh?" Finally, he brought the tail end of his coat up to eye level. Many more fell like hail. "EHH?" Dropping his coat, he glared at the queen. "Sorry if I want a little help seeing as I'm busy writing and giving every speech in the kingdom!"

"You're an inspiration to every kid who can write," Mercury jabbed.

Emerald snickered.

"Look around, kid. I'm keeping this kingdom together! There haven't been any scares or riots, the Schnee Dust Company agreed to partner with the royal family, _and_ I've got half the council wrapped around our little finger!" He shoved his fist, pinky extended, into Mercury's face for emphasis. "Speaking of which, if you guys wouldn't mind filling me in on your grand master plan, it might make writing the next few speeches go a little smoother!" He clenched the fist.

The queen sauntered towards her speaker. The sway of her hips enraptured him; her voice was like spiced honey. "Oh, Roman. Have a little faith." She placed a cool hand on his face. "You'll know what you need to know when you need to know it." Roman never liked sweet things much. He grunted in indignation. The hand slid off his face slowly as the queen began to walk away. "After the coronation, you're done with public speeches."

"Okay, then what?"

"I don't like repeating myself, Roman."

The queen's two subordinates followed her to the ballroom where various noble families around Remnant had gathered for the coronation. The public event was four hours long starting at noon, but the balls and dinners were arguably just as important. The prince was likely already there building connections in other kingdoms.

Roman had no intention of attending. He was going to use whatever time had left to rest. Quiet blanketed the area around the small table set up near a window. While the private event was confined to the ballroom, the public event used much of the enormous castle. There were always a few cases of visitors getting lost or drunkards spending the night without the staff ever catching word.

Roman's bodyguard had returned to finishing off her cake and gave him little regard. He groaned again. If there was anything he hated, it was being ignored. And bossed around. And laughed at. And overworked, and stressed out, and… okay, so he hated a lot of things.

The speaker pulled a cigar from his coat and lit it. The high-quality product was an import from Vacuo—the finest exporter of cigars in Sanus. Those from other continents were too much for his paycheck. He blew out a cloud of smoke, which made his body guard look up with a twinge of anger that was, somehow, still playful. Kids these days needed a lesson or two on how to be serious. "If you don't like it, just say so," Roman prompted. She deepened her frown and narrowed her eyes the slightest bit. Roman pretended not to see it and leaned back in the chair again. His bodyguard slowly licked the frosting off of her fork.

Suddenly, the utensil went whizzing by his head. It clipped the end off of his cigar and nearly sent the man into cardiac arrest. "Goddess!" He jumped and channeled his surprise into angry words. "You're supposed to protect this face!"

She simply shrugged and looked behind him. A dead mouse lay down the hall with its head impaled by the fork.

She had gotten her point across.

/-/-/-/

Weiss had had enough. She stormed down the streets of Vale with a glare strong enough to pierce even the commander's armor. At last, she stood in front of Rose's Runes. The source of her exasperation. Her knocking nearly busted down the door. "Ruby Rose, open the door this instant!"

"It is open," came her response.

She felt another vein pop but took a breath before opening the door. "I just got back from a ball."

"Okay...?"

That one word broke the floodgate, which sent all the anger rushing back. "One you weren't at!" She strode forward. "How could you possibly forget to attend a royal ball?"

"I didn't forget, I just didn't want to go." Ruby returned to mixing a Dust solution.

"And why is that?"

She put down her work, pulled up a piece of parchment, and began to read. "'Greetings!'" Her voice was deceptively cheerful. Weiss hadn't heard that tone since she first met her. "'For your acts of bravery at the Origin Demonstration, you have been invited to attend a royal ball the morning before coronation.'" She paused, her eyes flitting up to glacier blue then back down to rough tan. "'Your participation is not mandatory and any absence shall be excused for any reason.'"

"That explains nothing!"

"It explains that I didn't have to go and so you shouldn't be here right now!"

"I don't want to be here!"

"I'm not stopping you from leaving!"

That was true. Weiss considered leaving this hopeless child before she pulled something, but she was trying to to take Sir Port's advice. She needed to make the most of what she had, but she couldn't make the most out of Ruby if she continued to act like she was three! "You dolt! You are a rune master partnered with Vale's guard and you…" The guard captain felt her pride slipping. "Saved my life, so, why wouldn't you go to a royal ball?"

"I didn't go because I'm not the only one who saved your life, but I'm the only one with an invitation! My sister saved both of our lives and all she gets is your suspicion!"

"Oh, please! Your sister is missing. There isn't a point to sending her an invitation if she's not going to be here!" She wasn't even going to touch the idea of her suspicions. It was logical to suspect someone if they disappear along with the assassin seconds after the crime yet Ruby didn't seem to understand that. Weiss was sure that talking about it would get her nowhere.

"Then they shouldn't have sent me one, either."

"You're insufferable," Weiss declared. She stalked over to a chair beside the work desk and sat down. "I'm staying right here and if need be, I'll drag you to the coronation!"

"Why wouldn't I go to the coronation?"

Weiss shot her a glare. "I asked the same thing about the royal ball."

/-/-/-/

Mercury readjusted his robes and the holy symbol hanging from his neck. Judging by his reflection in the mirror, he really did look every bit the part of archbishop. Today and all those after it promised to be entertaining. A knock came from outside his room. "Mercury, let's go. Her Majesty's waiting." He opened the door and stepped out.

"So anxious to see her, are we?"

Emerald frowned at him. "Shut it. The ceremony's starting and if we're not there on time—"

"You'll have to beg for mercy?" He raised his voice and mocked, "'Oh, Your Royal Highness, please don't replace us!'"

She glowered and started walking towards the throne room.

"Ugh… You're no fun today." Emerald didn't answer him.

/-/-/-/

Roman had been speaking for the last twenty minutes. The huge crowd in the throne room contained mostly high ranking individuals, knights, and a few of those brave kids from the Origin Demonstration. They hung from his every word. Even if he didn't want to be doing this, it was always nice to have so many people bewitched by him.

Finally, he reached the end of the traditional speech and turned to the side. "And now, citizens, your queen is here to pick up the torch left behind by our dear late king. May the flame that is the great kingdom of Vale never extinguish under her rule and the Goddess's guidance." The words he spoke sickened him to some degree.

When the queen appeared, the crowd applauded politely. She raised a hand and everyone stopped. "Citizens of Vale, I promise to lead our kingdom to greater glory."

Roman fought the urge to roll his eyes. She was far from the glorious type. "Here to complete the ceremony is Archbishop Mercury Black."

Mercury entered through the double doors in the back of the throne room and sashayed to the front. Seeing as the previous archbishop, killed on the night of the Origin Demonstration, was older than Remnant itself, the crowd's shock was fitting. He was younger than Roman, so, he was little more than a baby.

Roman's bodyguard gave him the late king's Frozen crown, which he then passed on to Mercury. He took it smugly and continued on.

Roman frowned after him. How could someone from the church be so irritating?

/-/-/-/

Mercury came to a stop in front of the queen, who was standing in front of the throne. "My Queen," he began slowly, decidedly liking the amount of attention he had. "You are about to take on a great responsibility as the ruler of Vale. Is this your desire?"

"Yes, it is." She had a soft curve to her lips.

"Very well. Then, by what name should the Goddess remember you? Under what name shall you rule the kingdom?"

The curve grew to a small smirk. "Cinder… Fall."

The crowd in the throne room gasped in surprise. Mercury was glad his back was turned to them, or they would have seen his mocking smile. Of course she wouldn't choose the late king's last name. She wasn't his puppet. When they had quieted, he continued. "Your maiden name?"

"Correct."

"May the Goddess hear my words! Queen Cinder Fall now serves as the ruler of this humble kingdom!" He cast Burn on the crown, and the heat broke the spell and caused the ice around it to shatter. Mercury lowered it onto Cinder's head. She sat on the throne as if she had done it her whole life. A servant handed her a scepter. Cinder raised it, and brought the crowd to its knees.

/-/-/-/

Yang arrived home just after the sunset. The dark didn't really bother her; she used it to travel without being seen. She didn't didn't know the state of the kingdom, so she decided to play it safe. She recognized Ruby and Weiss outside the door and quickened her pace until she could hear their voices.

"You didn't have to make me stay for the dinner."

"Of course I did! It's a public event so the public should go."

Yang cleared her throat and broke the atmosphere. "Ah… hey, guys! I'm back?"

Weiss looked like she had seen a ghost and Ruby didn't seem to believe her eyes. "Yang!" She was crushed in a hug. Ruby was getting stronger every day. "Where have you been?"

"You won't believe this! I went and—" Before she let the cat out of the bag, Blake's words came back to her.

_"You probably shouldn't tell anyone about aura. People aren't… the most receptive to it."_

"And saw a… a friend," she finished lamely.

"An assassin kills the king and you go and see a friend? For a week and a half?" Weiss was incredulous.

"Uh, yeah?"

"Who cares? I'm glad you're back!"

"Thanks, Ruby—"

"I care!" Weiss stepped forward. "I don't know what you did, but I think you owe us an explanation. Inside. Now."

Yang wished she had taken a while longer to leave Forever Fall.

And so, Weiss interrogated her. Yang told them where she went, but not whom she saw. She told them she had gone to get better, but at what she didn't say. It felt horrible to lie to Ruby, but it was exhilarating to lie to Weiss. Even if it was only by omission.

Ruby to form her own idea of the events. "So, you got hurt and left to go see this friend of yours to get better?"

"Uh…"

"We have a doctor here in Vale! And, remember Sir Port's words? She didn't sustain any mortal injuries!"

Yang would have to have a talk with Port about confidentiality later.

"Well, you don't have to be on your death bed to want a better doctor!" Ruby exclaimed.

"I'm confident there are no better doctors!" Weiss retorted.

"If Yang found one then there must be!"

"Urgh, you—"

"Um…" Things were getting out of hand fast. The last week and half had not been kind to Weiss and Ruby's relationship.

"I'm leaving! You won't listen to me!" Weiss glared at Yang. "Don't think we're done here." She then stormed out and slammed the door shut.

Yang exhaled and relaxed. That was close. "Thanks, Rubes. What was that all about?"

"I'll always take your side, Sis." Ruby's eyes narrowed. "Especially against her. She has this crazy idea that you're working with the assassin."

"WHAT?"

/-/-/-/

Torchlight illuminated the throne room in a way Cinder could only describe as sinfully romantic. A guard appeared before her, armor marring the exquisite silence. "Queen Cinder, Weiss Schnee is here to see you."

"Oh? Send her in." What could the little Schnee want?

The flickering torchlight cast a warm glow on Weiss' white hair. She was perfect imitation of her father. She even stood with the same, flawless posture. "Queen Cinder, since you've taken the throne, the search for the assassin has officially started, correct?"

"Yes, it has."

"I think I may have a lead."

Cinder grinned. "Interesting…"

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: ***Screams from a mountain top* WEEEEEIIIISS! Wow.

I CAN'T. DIE. (Thanks for the reviews, cakemittens! They were golden.)

I haven't said this recently, but if you have any questions, please ask! Also, reviews are much appreciated.

**NEXT: **The Boy and the Thief


	9. The Boy and the Thief

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Boy and the Thief)

Neptune looked through a street vendor's books and absentmindedly adjusted the goggles on his forehead. They were tight on him now, but he didn't have the heart to get new ones. He still remembered the day his father gave him the goggles and relived it often in his dreams… it was the only place he could see his father. It had been for quite a while.

He paid for a book he wanted, an ever-elusive autographed manuscript of _Silverwick's Magical Adventures,_ before beginning to walk towards a bench. He enjoyed people watching and reading new books in his free time—the market was the perfect place to do both. Children played in a fountain while their parents shopped and some older people sat here and there looking on with either soft fondness or bitter discontent… Quite the place to spend the afternoon, Neptune decided.

But, before he could reach his seat, shouting erupted from the market. "Thief! Get back here! Guards! Someone call the guards!" There was a great commotion as people were shoved aside in a line heading straight for him. Before he knew it, he was lying on the ground, staring up at a teenager with a mischievous grin and messy, blond hair.

"Whoa?"

"Hey there!"

"There he is! Thief! Stop!"

"Whoops, that's my cue. See ya!" The teen stood up, waved goodbye with a novel of sorts, and ran away.

Neptune rose and brushed himself off before realizing, "Hey, that's my book!" He ran after the thief, readjusting his goggles on the way lest they pull out half his hair.

The chase led them through many alleyways Neptune was sure even the most detailed map of Vale would never have mentioned. Somewhere along the way, the guards gave up, but he was determined to reclaim his book. He sped down a road in a residential district he hadn't been to before. Houses slowly turned to shacks and the stone road disintegrated into dirt and gravel. Everything around him was dirty and breaking down—even the air seemed to hang with it.

Neptune vaguely remembered reading about this area. It was perhaps the poorest place in Vale, but no efforts were ever made to improve it or collect data on it. There seemed to be collective memory loss when it came to this area and hardly any patrols were present. The perfect place for thieves.

Shaking his head clear of thoughts, Neptune refocused his attention on the chase… only to find the thief was gone. He slowed to a walk and caught his breath while scanning the area. Nothing jumped out at him until he heard a sound akin to a door closing above his head.

Looking up, he saw a suspicious looking window on the second floor of an abandoned guard outpost. Whereas all the other windows were boarded from the outside, this one was boarded from within… and it was conveniently located next to a tree with branches acting like a ladder up to it.

With the strange window being his only lead at the moment, he adjusted his goggles, took a deep breath, and began to climb. Neptune hadn't climbed a tree since he was younger and it didn't exactly end well. Even so, a rare, signed manuscript was something worth the trouble.

When he was at the top, he swung open the boards and caught the thief eating a banana while looking through his book. A criminal living in a guard outpost. How ironic.

"Aha!" Neptune shouted.

"Ah!" In his surprise, the thief threw his banana.

It landed on Neptune's head and almost caused him to fall from the tree. "Ah! What the hell, dude?"

"I could ask you the same thing! What are you doing at my house?"

"You stole my book!"

"You followed me all the way here for a book?"

"It's limited edition!"

"Okay, okay! I just thought it'd be for the money."

"The what…" Using his left hand to pat down his pockets, he found his pouch of Lien missing. "Not cool, man. I want that back, too."

/-/-/-/

Cinder waited patiently in a training room. She had around fifteen minutes before he would be here, but she was capable of biding her time.

She'd waited this long…

"Are you sure you want to meet him here?" Emerald spoke up from behind her.

"I don't see the point in wasting time." Cinder glanced at the door. "Besides, I doubt he's fond of formalities. What kind of queen would I be to make a guest uncomfortable?"

"Yes, Queen Cinder." Emerald gripped her sickles' hilts and looked at the door with a clenched jaw. What could have her so tense?

Cinder approached and tucked a stray hair behind Emerald's ear. "What's the matter, Little Bird?" she cooed.

Emerald softened the slightest bit. "I'm not sure about this guy. He has every reason to just—"

"Trust," Cinder cut in.

"Un...conditionally."

Cinder smirked. "That's my little raven."

/-/-/-/

Sun figured he had stolen from just about every type of person. Rich people, poor people, other thieves, guardsmen… but he'd never gotten mixed up with anyone like this. "Hey, don't try and enter my house," he barked.

"If you don't let me inside, I'm turning you in."

"Are you serious?"

"Dude, you stole from me and threw a banana in my face."

Sun sighed and pulled him through the window. "Okay, but that was pretty awesome." The look he got wasn't one of agreement. Honestly, he didn't know what to do in this situation. Most of the time, getting caught did not end with his targets in his house… Either way, he wasn't going down without a fight. "Fine… you can have your stuff back."

"Nice."

Before he got to the money, Sun pulled out his staff and swiped at his target, who easily ducked and unfolded a guandao from behind his back.

"Whoa, okay, it is _so_ on." Without so much as a pause, they met in a fury of blue and red. Sun relied on his above-average reflexes as a thief while his opponent kept a level head and seemed to rely on some sort of training. His style reminded the blond of a few guards he fought, but it was a twisted form with more flourish.

Sun jumped a low thrust and brought his staff down on his target's left shoulder. Before it could connect, the guandao came up and knocked it aside. Looks like this guy had some reflexes of his own.

The rest was just a simple dodge-and-deflect routine as Sun bought time to analyze his opponent and create an opening.

Using his superior agility, he jumped back and felt for anything to throw. He never said he fought fair… Finding what he was looking for, he flung it at his target.

"Gross! Cut it out with the bananas already!"

Sun just shrugged and seized the opportunity to bowl over the repulsed teen. They tussled until Sun broke his staff into nunchucks and wrapped it around the guandao's shaft to render it useless. That _would_ have been the end of the fight, but without warning, the guandao turned into a trident, scratching his cheek. He had to dodge to avoid worse.

His target threw away his nunchucks and held the trident's prongs to his chest. "Stuff back. Now."

Sun held up his hands in defeat. "Alright! Chill!"

/-/-/-/

After precisely fifteen minutes, there was a knock at the training room door. "Queen Cinder," he greeted with a bow. From behind his red and white mask, he looked around the training room. Just her and a tense-looking guard. It was exactly as they'd agreed.

"I trust you're ready to begin right away?"

"You don't waste time. And, our arrangement?"

"I also don't waste my words on false promises, Adam. All you've asked for shall be provided."

"Then my services are yours."

"Good. Let's begin."

Adam watched the guard step back and a formed smirk that grew into a snarling grin when he activated his aura. Red flames burst from body and coated the scars and burns texturing his skin. He stood slowly, cast his mantle aside, and scanned Cinder's face from behind his mask.

Watchful determination met his gaze. Very well. He would soon wipe it off her face. After all this time, he _finally _got to do what he set out for. Even if he couldn't kill her, he'd maul her so beyond recognition… Anticipation invigorated him—heightened his senses. He shuddered into the flame and let the fury heating his chest take him.

With a bestial growl, Adam leapt forward. His hands barely registered the queen's flesh as it burnt from under them. "Release."

On command, an orange glow surrounded the queen then separated from her body like raindrops falling in reverse. Vivid spheres of flame gathered around Cinder. After taking them in, she turned to him and spoke the words he was so impatient to hear. "Training starts now."

Adam was all too happy to participate. He unsheathed his sword and slashed at the queen. One of her orbs of aura blocked the blade in a surprising feat of strength… but it wasn't strong enough.

/-/-/-/

Neptune pushed up his diadem and walked through the hall with practiced poise. One of his close aides stopped him before he could enter his quarters. "You're late, My Prince. I was about to send a patrol for you."

"Sorry, Bronzewing, I got a little carried away."

"See that it doesn't happen again."

"Right." Neptune couldn't help but think that despite Dove Bronzewing's young age, he acted far more serious than even some of the senior members on staff. "Will you have them prepare a bath?"

"As you wish."

"Oh, and don't disturb me tonight. I'll be reading."

"Certainly." Bronzewing paused. "Did something happen?"

"No, why?"

"Hm. I apologize, it's just that you look more lively than usual."

"Really? If anything, I'm tired."

His aide nodded knowingly. "You haven't been out of the castle much lately. That's probably the cause."

/-/-/-/

Cinder hit the ground hard. She looked at one of her shaking hands. A weak orange flame flickered close to it.

"Queen Cinder!" Emerald rushed to her side, horrified.

Cinder pushed her away—leaving blood on her clothes—and stood. She faced Adam and found her voice, forcing it to be steady. "Again."

He smirked and swung his sword once more. She barely blocked the attack and a quick follow-up sent her to the floor—a part of the castle she had never been so familiar with until now. She checked the flame… and watched it go out.

She witnessed her family die all those years ago so she waited. She wanted to get stronger and reestablish her bloodline so she let time pass. She wanted to prove she was worthy of her last name so she became a pretty face for an old king. Now, the opportunity arrived at last, but she needed power to take it… and here she was failing to attain what she needed most.

She had come too far for this now. She would be damned if she let this be where she came short, if she became just another in a long line of insignificant faces. She'd done too much not to have her will be known and respected! The flame rekindled and she focused on it. She would make her aura, her very soul, bow to her resolve. Nothing else mattered.

The flame grew and Cinder commanded in a low tone, "Again." She caught the blade and felt its steel cut into her. _More_. The flame near her hand grew and the blade stopped cutting. _Burn!_ Finally, it doubled in size and met Adam's aura, but she still needed more.

Adam wasn't going to give her the chance. He clubbed her in the head with his sheath. She staggered, aura lessening in strength just before he kicked her back onto the floor. She spit out blood—a vile red. Cinder couldn't suppress a soft laugh at how pitiful she must look.

"Cinder!" Emerald ran to her side and glared at Adam. "Stop this!"

Cinder tried to lift a hand to silence her, but a sudden bout of fatigue made it hard to move.

Flicking the his blade free of blood, Adam walked towards them—face unreadable behind the mask.

A small draft of wind stirred the room. "Don't. Move," Emerald ordered. When Adam still did not listen, she unsheathed her weapons. "I said stop!" she screamed. The draft became a gust.

Adam stopped for a few beats as he contemplated his next move. "Hmph," he finally vocalized, and turned on his heel to leave the room. "I'll be in my quarters."

When the door closed, Emerald turned frantic. "Queen Cinder—"

"Quiet. Did I not specifically instruct you to stay out of this?"

She flinched. "I just thought…"

"Don't think... obey."

Emerald opened and closed her mouth a few times, but eventually gave in. "Yes, my queen. It won't happen again."

"We'll talk about your aura later."

"My aura…? I never had it unlocked—" The glow around her spoke differently. "This must have just happened! I..."

"Later," Cinder reminded. "Let me rest, Little Bird."

Emerald obeyed and left her to herself. Alone now, Cinder sighed. She still had a ways to go… but she knew how to cut that time down considerably.

/-/-/-/

Emerald was a tempest in a garden. Adam should be dead by now for what he did to Cinder! Everything about him upset her to the utmost. But, if she had to put up with him she would. The queen's goals should be her only concern.

She looked at the wisps of wind that were her aura. She wanted to protect Cinder… and this is what answered the call. "'A power stronger than Dust,'" she whispered, quoting an old legend. If she trained hard enough, would Cinder finally see her as useful?

"Well, look who learned a new trick."

Emerald spun around to face the voice. "Mercury."

He lifted his hands. "How stingy. I didn't even do anything yet."

She narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. I just came by to see how you were doing, 'Little Bird.'"

"Don't call me that."

"Right, sorry, I forgot only she could."

"You know, I'm tempted to throw you right back out onto the street we picked your sorry ass up from," she hissed.

"Then who would be archbishop?"

"I'm sure a dog could play the part better."

"Ouch. And here I was trying to be nice…" He strolled over and sat next to her. "I just wanted to check in on my good friend Emerald."

"We're not friends."

"Too bad. I was about to ask a friendly favor, too. You see, you're not the only one who wants a new plaything."

"Here's an idea," she quipped. "You ask Queen Cinder and I'm sure she'd gladly say no to you just like me."

"Wow, I knew you were whipped but not that whipped," he marveled, standing up. Mercury put his hands out to his sides and shook his head. "Guess there's no helping the lost."

"Isn't that an archbishop's job?"

"Looks like someone didn't read the fine print." At that, he walked away as quietly as he came.

Emerald vowed that one day she would spit on his grave. "'A fool and his head are easily parted.'"

/-/-/-/ (Shout-out to Volibear) /-/-/-/

Sun covered a scuffmark from his earlier fight with a rug he stole from a bootlegger. A few fine rugs and tapestries seemed to beat being turned in. Sun had to agree. They spruced up his place very nicely and the guard never paid anyone for tipping them off… Speaking of being turned in, he wondered why he wasn't sitting in a cell by now. He stole from the blue-haired teen because he figured it would be easy… and it was, but it didn't exactly end smoothly.

Who was that guy? Would he notice Sun gave him less money back? It was strange, but he felt a connection with his previous target… something he knew he shouldn't feel. But, feelings were feelings and right now his emotions were telling him he wanted to see the teen again and at least get his name. Maybe even see if he could steal successfully from him next time. It was probably more the latter.

/-/-/-/

Neptune put his book down and sighed. _Silverwick's Magical Adventures _was a great story… but he couldn't stop thinking about that thief. Shouldn't he have turned the guy in by now? Thing was, he didn't really want to. If his father were still alive, he knew he'd be scolded for that.

A not entirely logical thought slowly formed in his mind. Neptune would just have to see the thief again because… well, what if he wanted to steal stuff? Or throw bananas at people again? Who else would stop him? Not the guards because Neptune wasn't going to tell them anything.

That settled it. The next time he was at the market, he'd keep an eye out. He was probably going to finish the book that night, so a trip was in order sooner or later… It was probably more the former.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **Neptune and Sun, I dub thee Team Cinnamon Roll. May you spread your goodness to many more chapters. Have a great one!

**NEXT: **Revival and Markings of Resolve


	10. Revival and Markings of Resolve

~~AAAND START!~~ (Revival and Markings of Resolve)

Yang stared at the piece of rye in her hand she was supposed to be eating for breakfast while Ruby cleaned her tools. It had been a quiet morning, which was great because that meant no Weiss. Yang sat in the chair near the workbench and poked at the bread.

She knew people didn't take well to aura, and she could understand why. It looked an awful lot like magic, but it wasn't—it had an explanation… and Ruby wasn't just "people." She was Yang's sister along with one of the greatest individuals she knew. Ruby would definitely keep her aura a secret, but Ruby also worked for Vale's guard. Keeping secrets would not end well for her.

Even so, Yang didn't want to hide things from her. Besides, there was a surprising lack of guilt when lying to Weiss.

Gathering some courage, she broke the silence. "Hey, Ruby?"

"Yeah?"

"You know how I said I went to see a friend and get better?"

Ruby put down her tools. "Yeah...?"

"Well, I did, but… there's some stuff I didn't mention before about the trip."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. See, the thing is—" The shop door closed and cut her off.

Ruby leaned over and whispered, "Sorry, Yang, can this wait?"

"S—Sure. Go ahead."

"Hi and welcome to Rose's Runes! How may I help you?"

A woman with pale-green hair approached the workbench. "Ms. Rose?"

"That's me!"

"I have an order for you—from Vale." An order from Vale but no Weiss? Strange, yet not unpleasant…

"Are… you with the guard?"

"No. I'm with someone much more important. I trust you've heard of the queen?"

"Th—The queen?" Ruby gasped.

"So, you have, then. Good," the woman said with a small smile. "I have an order from her I was told only you could fulfill." She slipped out a piece of paper with the new royal seal and handed it over.

"Wow, what an honor—I'd be glad to! Is there anything else I can do?"

"I was also wondering if you could fulfill a personal order."

"Sure! What's your name?"

"Emerald Sustrai."

Yang had never heard of her, but Ruby wrote her name down without a second thought. "Okay. And, the order?"

Emerald pulled out a smaller sheet of much less fancy paper and handed it over. "Just this, please."

"Great! I'll be done in a few hours, so if you want to come back then, I'll—"

"Actually, I'll just wait here."

"Oh… okay." Emerald sat next to Yang.

"And you are?"

"I'm Yang, Ruby's sister."

"It's nice to meet you, Yang."

She was nice enough, but something about her set off alarm bells in Yang's head. Emerald reminded her of the northern rivers—placid at a glance, yet home to a deadly current beneath the surface.

/-/-/-/

Ruby was bemused by the queen's orders. Dust mixtures were something she did often, but never with water instead of blood. What was the point in that? Paired with the runes and rune runnings drawn in ink on strips of paper, it completed a very unusual request. Ruby cast a quizzical glance at Emerald.

She cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows. "Did you need something?"

"Are you sure you want it mixed in water?"

"Yep, just water."

Ruby shared a look with Yang. "Alright, then." Seeing as the order called for nothing more than some sketches and a few mixtures, she was done in record time. "That'll be two hundred Lien for the official order and seventy five for the personal one."

"Okay." Emerald pulled out a pouch of money. "The official charge will be paid along with your weekly amount from the guard. Here's the personal charge, though."

"Got it. Thanks for stopping by!"

"Yeah, it was nice," Emerald said.

As soon as the door closed, Ruby was instantly bursting with excitement. "Oh, my gosh, Yang, I got to do an order for the queen! That's so cool!"

"You're at the top of the food chain, Rubes!"

Calming down from the initial wave of energy, the Ruby looked down at her bench. "I wonder what all that stuff was for, though."

"Who knows. That Emerald person was a little strange, too."

"Really? I thought she was nice."

Yang. "I dunno, she just felt off. Like she wasn't telling us something."

"Yang, the order was for the queen. The queen! She probably has some top secret stuff to do, right?"

"Like, drink Dust water and hang runes around her room?"

"But what if she hung my runes around her room? That would be so awesome…"

Yang laughed and gave up. "Alright, Sis. You're star struck."

What was so wrong about that?

Eventually, Ruby returned to her work. When she picked up the tool she had been cleaning before Emerald walked in, she remembered their previous conversation. "Hey, Yang, what were you saying about the trip earlier?"

"H—Huh? Oh. Nothing…" Even if she said it a little strangely, if Yang said it was nothing, it was probably nothing.

"Okay."

/-/-/-/

Cinder sat in her quarters, looking out over the kingdom from her window. Emerald stood near her and set up the materials she had requested earlier along with a bucket of water with a hand towel.

"Queen Cinder, the tattooist from Mountain Glenn is here to see you," a guard called from outside the door.

"Send him in."

The door opened, and a large man in traditional clothing with a box held delicately in both hands appeared.

"You are called Yatsuhashi, correct?"

He nodded.

"Take your time setting up. As agreed earlier, we shall provide the ink."

Yatsuhashi opened the box and took out a metal rod, a brush, and some needles. He sterilized the equipment and inserted the needles in a row on the tip of the rod. Next, he pulled out a few larger towels and laid them out across the bed.

All this completed, Cinder rose and stripped off the top half of her silk robe. It slid from her shoulders and fell around her waist. Emerald followed close behind with a Dust solution and the paper. She handed everything over to Yatsuhashi. "Here's the ink and the references. Start with these on the back."

He nodded and asked Cinder to lay across the bed. When she did as directed, he dipped the brush in the Dust solution, then the needles into the brush, and began.

As the metal pierced her skin, the queen lay patiently. She had no doubt in Yatsuhashi's skill, as the Daichi family held an unblemished reputation in each of the major kingdoms. Emerald, however, watched intently from behind him. Every time the needles hit a particularly sensitive area of skin, she subconsciously reached for her sickles.

At the end of the tedious process, Cinder had perfectly crafted rune runnings going from between her shoulder blades to the center of her collarbone. They also came down her arms and to her hands. Her left hand read the keyword "Ignite" and the right hand read "Burn."

When Yatsuhashi left, she dressed herself in training clothes. "Emerald, send Adam down to the training room."

"Yes, Queen Cinder."

Today, she'd return the favor of yesterday's humiliation.

/-/-/-/

Emerald ran to catch up to the tattooist. "Hey, hold on! Will you tattoo me as well?"

"No."

That was definitely not the answer she was expecting. "Why not?"

"I know what is in the ink you have used."

"So?"

He shook his head, then approached her. His hand rested on her left shoulder. "Dust paves a path to destruction. Your soul cannot handle what your heart and mind desires."

She hollered after his retreating form, "What's that supposed to mean?" Seventy-five Lien didn't care what her soul could handle according to that country boy. Yatsuhashi never answered, and by the time he left her view, she knew she had to hurry up and get Adam.

Looks like she wasn't allowed to take any shortcuts.

/-/-/-/

Adam looked at Cinder with a frown. He'd left earlier because of Emerald, but he wouldn't give them the same courtesy twice. This time, if Cinder wasn't careful she could really end up dead. Not that he minded.

"Training starts now," she said with a smirk.

Unsheathing his sword, Adam called out his aura again. Cinder did the same. Spheres of flame floated about her like paper lanterns and for a moment, she was still. Adam approached, but stopped in his tracks a few seconds later. Cinder held the bridge of her nose and grit her teeth as her aura flickered.

She then shouted in pain and dropped to the floor. Adam watched, perplexed, and Emerald looked like she was stuck in an internal battle of sorts. After a period of convulsions, Cinder roared and opened her eyes. They were glowing.

Her aura swelled to unnatural levels and she controlled it all without wavering. Finally, she stretched out her right hand and spoke with conviction. "Burn." The flames around her went out for a moment, then the air in the room seemed to condense as it all reappeared in front of her hand. A fireball so big was rendered it was as if she was holding a star.

Adam took a step back. What the hell had happened in a single day?

When the queen threw the ball, it whistled through the air and Adam had to channel his entire aura into a shield just to block it. He felt as if his own flames were being smothered by the sheer amount of power before him. And Cinder did not stop with simply one.

"Burn." Again, she conjured another ball of flame and flung it at her opponent. Adam barely stopped the second, and the edges of his clothing singed. Then, Cinder was upon him. Putting a hand on his chest, she whispered, "Ignite."

That was all Adam remembered about their second fight.

/-/-/-/

Roman ate dinner across from his bodyguard. In a word, he was bored. Having no work after being flooded with activity should have been nice, but since he was confined to the east wing of the castle without any hope of leaving, it simply wasn't. He just wanted to hurry up and get on to whatever else Cinder would make him do.

Roman glanced at his bodyguard. She still hadn't spoken a word to him, but he learned that her name was Neopolitan and her diet consisted of more sweets than real food. She also liked watching him and never really seemed to be doing her job… but he already knew that.

She caught him looking and grinned, waggling an eyebrow. He rolled his eyes and looked away. Finding his serious reaction funny, she giggled silently. Always silence with this one.

Two sets of footsteps echoed down the hall towards their room. In walked Emerald and someone he hadn't seen before. He had a scowl deep enough to pass up the water by the docks and was limping something fierce. "Adam, this is your new partner, Neopolitan, and your new 'leader,' Roman," Emerald introduced.

"Welcome to the club, kid," Roman said. "Now, Emerald, would you care to disclose some information about what exactly I'm leading?"

Ignoring his tone, she answered casually, "You three will be reviving the White Fang."

Roman laughed. "Do I look like a Faunus to you?"

"You have a brain, don't you? You're leading. All you need to do is make it look like the White Fang still exists. These two will do all the heavy lifting."

"And, am I lucky enough to know why this is happening?"

"If you are, you're not hearing it from me," Emerald said, shrugging. "You have a lot of freedom with this, so don't screw it up."

"Right… freedom. Filling out paperwork, being watched even as I sleep, not being let outside… lovely."

Emerald smiled. "I'm glad you understand. We're expecting results in two months. Consider this the start of phase two."

When she was gone, Roman turned to his new subordinates and sighed. "Well, who's ready to revive a crime ring?" Adam stepped up to him. Roman was starting to get nervous. "I see you already have your mask."

"I was in the White Fang, and I don't acknowledge you as leader."

"I see you joined us in a bit of a rebellious phase, huh, kid? I don't know if you heard the queen's messenger, but I'm the brains of this operation."

Adam grunted and grabbed at his sword. Roman instinctively retreated a couple steps and Adam was about to follow when Neo stepped between the two. She held the tip of her umbrella to his neck and gave him a warning glare. As always, there was still a playful glint to her eyes.

Surprisingly, Adam cooled down and stalked away. Neo turned back and looked at Roman expectantly.

"Okay, so you do your job," he admitted.

She smiled in triumphance.

/-/-/-/

Adam slammed his fist into a pillar in the hall outside his room. He came here for revenge, and now he was to be ordered around by a human of all things. He stared at his reflection in the cut marble. To be beaten senseless by a human queen. To be part of a fake White Fang lead by a human coward…

He remembered the day the real White Fang fell. It was just like any other day at the HQ in Atlas until some human freaks decided they didn't like their presence in the kingdom. Adam was outside at the time of the initial explosion. By the time he got inside, it was too late. His partner, Blake Belladonna, had…

Adam punched the pillar again.

He had interrogated some of the humans, but it was clear no one sent had them. What was true, though, was that they were nearly all from Vale. Since then, Adam had journeyed. Learning more about aura from the traditional Faunus, strengthening his resolve… He would get the equality his partner wanted and avenge her.

When he first entered the kingdom, Cinder found him and offered him a deal. He would get the equality he desired and a free license to kill… if it was under her command. Adam had only agreed because of the "training" promised in the beginning. That had gone well.

Well, if he was going to revive the White Fang, he may as well start now. In a kingdom as large as this, one person dead went unnoticed. A few people dead drew more interest from the guards.

To get to the level of alarm required by the queen, he had to put in some work.

Adam walked towards the stairs to find Neopolitan was sitting on the banister. She hopped off and stood to block his path. "You have aura, don't you?" He could sense it.

She smirked and walked forward. Adam's instincts told him to avoid a fight, but his hands were already itching for his sword. When his fingertips brushed the hilt, she disappeared and showed up behind him. He hadn't even seen her move.

Neopolitan shook her head and kept walking towards him. He swung his blade at her as he unsheathed it, but she parried with her umbrella and held his gaze.

"Adam, what are you doing?" Cinder's voice froze their interaction.

"My job," he said.

"Wait until Roman gives you an order before you act."

Adam growled. "I don't need anyone to tell me how to do what I've been doing my whole life."

Cinder moved Neopolitan to the side and took her position in front of him. "Then think of his orders as orders from me. And, just like with orders from me, if you break them or distort them, you will be punished by me." A small flame showed up beside her for a moment. "Do I make myself clear, Adam?"

He felt his pride breaking as he answered. "Yes… Queen Cinder."

"Very good."

/-/-/-/

Roman sat alone in his room attempting to come up with a master plan to throw the city into a state of panic with just three people. It wasn't going so well given the lack of numbers. Stealing things or dealing in frauds took too long and even killing a few nobles wouldn't cause widespread panic because all the good nobles were killed at the Origin Demonstration.

If the king's assassin was on his team, he might have a better chance, but so far not a single lead on their identity had been mentioned. That was too bad. Roman had wanted to congratulate the cloaked figure for finally giving the oldest king in history some well-deserved rest.

Well, if he could get a guard patrol's attention, he'd have something to work with. A control group of sorts. And... what better way to get their attention than to bring the issue to them? An agitated guard made for agitated people, and nothing made the guard more disturbed than having themselves be the targets.

All that was left was a hit list of people they would miss… Roman already had a few in mind.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **Can I just take a moment to appreciate both Roman and Neo?

...

...

Yas.

**NEXT: **No Good News


	11. No Good News

~~AAAND START!~~ (No Good News)

Weiss sat down at her kitchen table for breakfast. She decided to try her luck and make herself a sandwich today. Wheat bread held seasoned pork and an egg—of course, she had bought some fruit from the local market for a side as well. Lately, her meals were becoming more and more edible and they even tasted good on some days. It had taken her a while to learn to cook, but she blamed that on the fact that nobody had bothered to teach her at the manor.

She'd have to leave for work in a while, so she enjoyed the peace and quiet while she could. Being a guard captain meant going to work with the sun. From sunup to sundown, there was always something to be done or someone who wasn't doing their job right. Weiss looked out her window and onto the darkened street. It wasn't the calming landscape back home, but it was something.

Mail had come for her yesterday. She'd been putting it off seeing as it was from Winter. On good days, she forgot she had a sister. Well, she could think any number of less than pleasant things about Winter, but this might be the letter where something important finally came up, so Weiss had to read it.

A baby blue version of a Schnee Dust Company snowflake sealed the letter. She was confident Winter had chosen that color for her branch just to spite her. Weiss had wanted it first. It was the little things Winter did to irritate her, and even if Weiss never wanted to admit this for as long as she lived, they almost always worked. Immaculate, loopy cursive filled the paper inside, leaving perfect margins. It read:

_To My Dearest Sister,_

_ Hello, Weiss, I hope you are doing well. It's been quite a while since my last letter, so I'm sure you're dying to hear about that new suit I was working on. I'm sorry for the delay—it was a bigger success than I expected. Coco says it's the most popular item set in the boutique right now. If you'd like one, I can have it woven with ice Dust instead of wind and sent to you. I'm sure Velvet will tailor it for you perfectly—have you grown at all? Eating peasant food isn't making you malnourished, is it? If you had chosen to live in the barracks, you could afford better food._

_ Foxy sends his regards and hopes your work is going well. Isn't it tiring to be around people of such low caliber? Well, I suppose being on the guard has no requirements other than brute strength. You were always more fitted for battle out of the two of us, so it's only fitting you chose the guard as your branch._

_ Daddy says if you make it to region captain by your birthday, he'll let you have company rights. Despite how cold he is with you, I think he really does love you. When Daddy came to visit, he joked that you might take over the company when he retires based off your work so far. He's so funny!_

_ I know you don't like to touch on this, but, have you found a rune master yet? You should really start thinking about your options. I looked into it, and that Ruby Rose you have working for you looks promising. She's a bit young, though. Do you want Foxy to introduce you to one of his friends? _

_Well, I won't keep you any longer. I know you have to work to gain a rank or two in Vale's guard._

_ With much love,_

_ Winter Schnee_

Weiss sighed and put down the letter. As always, Winter had no idea what she was talking about on any and all aspects of Weiss's life. She thought she was the queen just because she was older and found a way to successfully sew Dust into clothing. Weiss wondered how Winter's business partner put up with her. She hadn't seen her family since she came to Vale, but judging by their letters, they weren't up to anything new.

Replacing the paper in its envelope, she cleared her leftovers from the table and returned everything to where it should be. Winter used to be different before she left for Mistral. She used to be someone worth looking up to. People change, but not as dramatically as she did. Petty and insulting, she deserved nothing more than a cold shoulder now.

Putting on her armor, Weiss left her home and headed to work. The lock on the door echoed through the empty house.

/-/-/-/

Neptune was having a hard time finding what he was looking for. Or rather, who he was looking for. He also felt as if someone was watching him and that wasn't helping the situation at all. A book caught his eye so he picked it up, but his gaze was constantly flitting off the pages to the scenery around him.

Before he could put the book down, an ear-piercing scream broke the general noise of the market. Shortly after, a conflagration arose and devoured many vendors' wares… and many vendors as well. Pandemonium broke out, and people began running away as quickly as possible. From the harsh red blaze came a man in a black mantle. He walked calmly—it was as if the fire was radiating from him, destroying everything in his wake. Neptune reached for the guandao folded and strapped behind him when a tug on his collar pulled him backwards and eventually, after much resistance, into a clothing rack belonging to the vendor next door.

"Who the—"

"Shh!" Sun's wide, dark-grey eyes glinted from within the clothes.

Neptune quickly closed his mouth at the sight of them. "It's you."

"We have to get out of here as soon we can," Sun whispered. No sooner had he said this than a patrol of guards came running into position.

"Halt!"

The arsonist kept walking.

"S-Stop, or we'll have to use force!" The guard captain held his shaking weapon as steady as he could, but it was clear that the arsonist was already winning the battle.

"Fine by me," he said flippantly.

With a desperate battle cry, the patrol rushed forward. In a blur of movement Neptune couldn't follow, the aggressor unsheathed his sword, cut them down as if he were simply slicing into the wind, and sheathed it again. The guards fell to the ground, blooding spilled from their wounds. Neptune watched in horror as the arsonist approached the captain, whom he had spared of injury. A burning hand lifted the poor man by the neck. The guard screamed in agony as his skin blistered and beneath it. "Your region captain. Get him and tell him this: The White Fang would like to see him dead for his sins." Dropping his victim, he kicked the guard's back as he fled uncoordinatedly with great tears streaming down his face.

Neptune and Sun stood frozen in fear.

The arsonist sat down and set his sword across his knees, waiting. It was then Sun broke the mood and snapped into action. He took hold of Neptune's arm. "Now!" The pair ran far and fast. They did not stop until they had climbed into his house and closed the boarded window behind them.

Neptune collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath. "What the hell was that?"

Sun followed suit and crashed onto his bed. "That was the White Fang."

It seemed more like a witch to Neptune. "Aren't they dead or something?"

"I guess not anymore."

Silence ensued. After a minute or two, Neptune couldn't keep himself from asking, "Dude you think the region captain…?"

"I hope not... No one would be able escape that. The White Fang isn't something to joke around with."

"How do you know so much about them?"

Sun's features darkened and he placed a hand on his fur belt. "They were… responsible for the death of my parents."

/-/-/-/

Weiss sat in her region's guard outpost doing paperwork. It looked like she would have to stop by Rose's Runes again later in the day. She felt a vein pop reflexively.

Worse, the other captains seemed to be slacking more than usual today and were raising a ruckus so loud, they may well have been at a carnival. After Weiss had finished a document, a guard rushed into the room with an unprofessional amount of excitement. "You guys won't believe this! A guy just came in with crazy burns!" The captains listened harder than they ever did at attention. "Long story short, some arson guy's pretending to be from the White Fang, and the region captain went to finish him off!" There was maybe one second of silence since the beginning of the morning; then, it fell apart.

"I've gotta watch this!"

"Ol' Captain's finally getting serious, huh? I guess I'll go make sure the situation doesn't get out of hand."

Young and old captains alike spoke all at once, trying to justify going to watch the fight. Eventually seeing they were of the same mind, they all ran out of the outpost and left Weiss alone at her desk.

She sighed and set down her feather pen. Outside the window, she watched them head down the street at a pace barely passing for walking. People followed behind, wanting to see what the gathering of guard captains was all about. Weiss watched their forms retreat from her vision. In the end, her reflection in the window looked back at her every bit as unimpressed as she felt.

_Isn't it tiring to be around people of such low caliber?_

Sometimes, it was.

/-/-/-/

Adam sat still in the smoldering clearing as guards and their captains formed a ring about him. From what he could see, five of them were on Roman's hit list. Finally, his primary target entered through the small clearing.

The region captain dropped a large two-handed axe onto the ground—its weight of his weapon chipped a stone in the road. "So, you're the one responsible for all this, eh?" he sneered

"So I am."

"Well, let's get this battle over with so I can take you to jail. I got a busy schedule, you know. But, I'm sure none of my men will mind if your head cracks a bit before then, am I right?"

The guards cheered.

Adam put his hand on his hilt. "Very well. Take the first move."

"You serious, kid? Big mistake!" The region guard raised the axe and rushed him.

Adam stood and began to glow red, feeling heat course through him, lusting to be fed. Just before the axe connected, he blocked it with his sword partially unsheathed. He felt all the blow's power rush into him. It was intoxicating, euphoric, and begging to be let loose. He couldn't help but indulge.

Fully unsheathing his sword, he swung the blade in a wide arc. When both halves of the region captain hit the ground, he flicked his sword free of blood and sheathed it again. "You were a strong man," he commented. "But not smart." Adam decided to return to his quarters and paved an exit with the blood of the other five targets. Six down—Roman had better be happy with that. Just to be on the safe side, Adam burned down the rest of the market.

If Neopolitan could top this, he'd treat her to that three-layered cake she seemed to love eating so much.

/-/-/-/

Sun took a breath. "When I lived in Vacuo, the White Fang had a branch in the city. One day, they killed a well-loved noble who was involved in the underground Faunus labor trade. The city hunted for the killers, but never found them. They had to blame someone…"

"And they blamed your parents?" Neptune asked, horrified.

"Yeah. They were on staff at the time of the murder and they were the only Faunus on the residence." He took a few more breaths. It was like he never really got over their deaths no matter how much time had passed or how much he did to forget and move on. "Vigilantes broke into our house. I barely escaped… and I never saw my parents again."

"That's... That's harsh, man."

"I know. After that, I came here."

"Began your life of crime?" Neptune quipped playfully yet carefully.

"Actually, no. I worked on the docks. Then I started my life of crime after I realized I was better at that than anything else. No way I was becoming a servant again."

"But, you do know stealing is bad, right?"

Sun smiled. "Hey, if people like you would stop making it so easy for me, I wouldn't have to!"

"Not cool, man. I got my book back, remember?"

"Yeah, and you even paid me for all the trouble."

"Huh?"

Sun held up the coins he'd taken before he gave the pouch back. "Seventeen Lien! Really, it's too easy!" He laughed at Neptune's bewildered look. "C'mon man, at least count your money afterwards."

"Whatever, dude."

Calming down from his bout of laughter, Sun flopped back onto the bed. "Well, now you know my life's story. What's yours?"

"It's nothing special. My mom died when I was really little and my dad remarried later. After that, he became super busy, so I never got to see him... My dad died a little while ago, actually."

"Aw, sorry, man."

"It's alright. He gave me these goggles when I was little, so it's like I have a piece of him with me everywhere, you know?"

"Yeah, my parents gave me my staff." They looked at each other for a while in mutual understanding. "What's your name?"

"Neptune. You?"

"I'm Sun!" He paused. "I've never made friends with my targets before." They both laughed. "Man, today was one heck of a day." Suddenly, they both remembered the events before they arrived at Sun's house and gloom hung heavy in the air.

"You think the guards managed to take that guy out?"

"Honestly? Not a chance! Did you see him? He was like a Draco! I just hope no one else died..."

"Me too. That was scary, man. What was with him—magic?"

"No, the White Fang use this thing called aura. It's different, but it does the same thing."

"Huh? Never heard of it."

"Not surprised. It's kind of like unlocking your inner power or something. That's all I know."

"Sounds pretty cool."

"I guess. Just not when guys like him have it."

/-/-/-/

Weiss walked down the hallway in the headquarters. There was a meeting being held between the region captains and the commander after the tragedy earlier in the day. As a potential witness and one of the only surviving captains of her region, Weiss decided that to not come would be a terrible decision. Especially since the alternative was going to Rose's Runes. Lark could deliver the order—a little more fieldwork wouldn't harm her second.

She entered the conference room and took a seat at the round table. Commander Ozpin entered a moment later and spoke to her quietly, keeping their conversation private. "You must be Captain Schnee."

"Yes, Sir."

"I'm glad to finally meet you, though I wish it was not under these circumstances."

"I agree, Sir." Shortly after their brief conversation, the meeting started. Ozpin asked that she retell the events of that morning, and after that, he introduced another witness to the room. A civilian who saw the whole thing happen explained it all in great detail. Disbelief stirred the attendees.

Ozpin leaned forward with his head on his clasped hands—his trademark move when he was deep in thought. "I was under the impression that this was an arson… Are you sure they used magic?"

"It was definitely magic. I saw the whole thing. These eyes ain't forgetting nothing and that's what they saw. Magic!"

"I see... Thank you for coming in."

"Yeah, and, can I get some compensation? You know, I've sold books at that market for twenty five years. I'd be there for another twenty five, but, see, my stand burnt down in that fire."

"You can file a request in the lobby. I'll be sure to have it granted."

"Thank you, Sir. You do good, you know that? You do real good. I know you'll kick that White Fang demon outta here." The civilian left, leaving the room to brood.

Six months ago at the request of Atlas, the army sent some of their best soldiers on an operation to take out the White Fang's headquarters. They were unbreakable when under interrogation—true veterans and masters of their craft. Most of them returned, and everyone thought the mission had gone successfully… until now.

Mass murder, the assassination of the king and one of the strongest region captains, the use of magic… One thing was clear. The White Fang had returned, and they'd done so for revenge.

The king's assassin was most likely in line with the White Fang. Everyone agreed that taking out the terrorist organization before the queen, too, could fall should be the guard's primary objective. How that was to be done was still up in the air. For now, replacing the lost guardsmen and alerting the queen of their findings was their first order of business. After the queen had sent word back, they would get to work. Hopefully, she would allow them the extra power they requested. After all, it was for the kingdom's safety.

Weiss, for one, was more than ready to ramp up the investigation. In fact, she had been investigating before everyone else in her own way. Perhaps if she could turn in at least one of the perpetrators… a promotion was in her future? Of course, she would wait for Queen Cinder's word before doing anything more, but she was confident her current lead would bear fruit.

/-/-/-/

News traveled fast. By the time Sun said goodbye to Neptune, the White Fang was the talk of the city. Sun's mind was more on his new friend, though. From where he was from, the White Fang was just another part of life. He was rather numb to their antics.

When his boarded window had closed, he pulled his tail out of his belt loops and brushed out the matted fur. It wasn't that he wanted to hide his heritage. Being proud of it and being able to use it were just two different things.

He wasn't too worried about Neptune finding out about him being a Faunus. Actually, he should have said something earlier when they were sharing stories, but he forgot in the moment and it never came up afterwards. Sun believed that humans and Faunus could be equal, never really sweating the small stuff like race. He knew people feared what they didn't understand and thought that was why the Faunus were treated so terribly… he was pretty sure Neptune would understand. It would come up one day—it wasn't like he could hide it forever.

Sun wrapped his tail around him again and left to go see if there was another market worth patronizing.

/-/-/-/

Cinder finished reading the guard's report and folded it closed with a smile. She asked Roman for results in two months. Here they were and it hadn't even been a full twenty-four hours. Shortly after reading the message, she wrote a reply then summoned Emerald and the general.

"General Ironwood," she greeted warmly. Emerald walked past him and to her side. Cinder placed her hand behind her. "I trust you've met Emerald?"

"Yes, we've become well acquainted, Your Majesty."

Of course, the queen already knew that. "Good. I've chosen her to be the new head of Intelligence."

Ironwood's eyes widened at the sudden news. "I see…"

"Is there a problem?"

"Queen Cinder… I thought we were going to elect one of the senior members?"

"I think you'll find I appoint very capable people. All I ask for is your trust. If she cannot fulfill her position, you have my word that I'll have her step down."

"Very well. Forgive my bluntness, but what have I been called here for?"

"This ties in directly to our current conversation. Have you heard of the incident with the White Fang earlier?"

"My officers have informed me of the details."

"Then they should have told you of the guard's incompetence."

Ironwood creased his brows—he was no fool. "Where are you going with this, My Queen?"

"I would like the army to mobilize against the White Fang."

He inhaled sharply. "The army at work within city walls? Though the guard suffered a loss, I—" He took a moment to calm down. "Is this an order?"

"I'm simply asking, general."

"Then I will have to decline your request. It would be the same as declaring civil war."

Cinder said her next sentence delicately. "Is there any way to change your mind?"

"No, there isn't."

"That's too bad…" She rose from her throne and neared him. A warm hand traced the general's jawline. "How are you, James?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you're asking," he answered stiffly.

"I mean to ask if you're doing alright these days…"

"I'm fine."

She looked at him with concern and held up a circular metal flask. "The evidence suggests otherwise."

Ironwood felt his jacket pocket. "How did you—" He then spotted Emerald picking her nails beside the throne.

"You'll find I appoint very capable people," Cinder repeated.

Ironwood frowned and let out a constricted breath. "I said I'm fine."

Cinder looked at him for a moment. "How's Penny, James?"

If it was even possible, he stiffened further. "She's—"

"Not getting better, is she?"

"Queen Cinder, are you threatening me?"

"Not at all." She walked back to her throne and returned the flask to Emerald. "All I want is your cooperation. You are a man of action, James. There is reason to believe that the White Fang murdered my late husband and is now going after the very power structure of this city. We can throw stones… or stumble on them. The guards protect, the army attacks. Fighting fire with fire is the only way, do you not agree? If you help me… perhaps we can arrange for better treatment for your daughter. I have valuable connections, General."

"And if I still say no?"

She frowned. "Nothing will happen… but your daughter won't survive nothing, will she?"

He cringed and looked down. The longer the silence grew, the surer Cinder became of her victory. Finally, he let out a pained breath. His posture seemed to leave him with the air. "My men are at your command."

"Wonderful… No large action is required until we learn more about the White Fang's current status. Until then, make your presence known. You have permission to interrogate any Faunus you suspect."

"Yes, Queen Cinder."

"Emerald… see the general out."

"Yes, Queen Cinder," Emerald parroted. She walked at a brisk pace, giving Ironwood his flask back with a tight smile as she lead him to the exit.

He took a swig.

/-/-/-/

Ozpin read Cinder's response with a troubled look. "The army has never taken such an active roll…"

"Let's hope this has no drastic repercussions," Glynda Goodwitch, his second, agreed.

"This… Yang Xiao Long… do you really think she is to blame?"

"It's a lead from the queen herself, and the adventurer has a track record."

"I hardly see an occupation and a history of bar fights as grounds to suspect a child."

"Nonetheless, we'll have Captain Schnee's sector look into it."

Ozpin sighed and took a long sip of coffee. "I suppose you're right. Send word to the rest of the guard. We'll start looking into every lead."

"Of course."

/-/-/-/

Roman sighed in exasperation. "A little heavy-handed there, don't you think?"

"I did exactly as you asked," Adam pointed out.

"You killed over twenty people and burned down the whole entire market! I might have said 'make it flashy,' but I'm pretty sure I made it clear I wanted a test case!" Roman slammed his cane on the floor for emphasis. "No more people get taken off the list unless I say so."

Neo stopped cleaning her umbrella and pushed it aside with a pout.

"But, you got lucky, kid. Looks like your big show got us an encore."

Adam hmphed.

"Alright, here's the plan." Spreading out a big map of the city, Roman pinpointed several areas." Burn the previous list. These are all the places we're going to hit next. Any order is fine as long as the job gets done and no one interrupts my cigar breaks." His army of two listened less than attentively. "So, no more killing sprees! And please stay away from the army. I don't want to explain any broken clay soldiers to Cinder. That's all."

Adam started to wonder what exactly qualified as a "killing spree." Also, if he returned a clay soldier burned but not broken, would it matter? He was itching to push the limit of Roman's lenience.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**NEXT: **Caught in the Middle


	12. Caught in the Middle

~~AAAND START!~~ (Caught in the Middle)

James Ironwood stood at the foot of Penny's bed. She slept fitfully, sweat creating a sheen on her forehead. No one knew what was wrong with her. When she was little, there was an accident in a rune master's store and ever since then, some days she said she could hear voices and others, she couldn't move parts of her body. Through it all, she remained the sweetest person Ironwood knew… just like her mother.

"Is this her?" the queen's connection from Mistral asked.

"Yes."

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave the room."

"But I—"

"I'm not actually asking. You have to leave."

After a moment, he sighed in resignation and agreed to leave the room, hovering around the door.

He was afraid it was taking too long and was about to walk right in when there came three knocks from the other side. He flung it open to find the woman gone and Penny sitting up on the bed. "How are you doing, Penny?"

"Sen—sational!" She held out her hands in front of her. "That nice new doctor you sent me made me feel so much better!"

Ironwood let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. "I'm glad. Are you in any pain?"

"I can't tell."

Taken aback, he asked, "What do you mean?"

"I don't seem to be able to feel anything right now!" The general rushed to his daughter's side—there in less than a second.

"Are you sure?"

"The doctor said she needed something good to help me fight all the bad. Then, she made me glow and that's when I couldn't feel anymore!"

"She… made you glow?"

"She said… If I ever needed help it would save me, and they would help out. Then, she left through a portal." Things were just getting weirder and weirder.

"What would save you?"

"I don't know what it is, but it feels like a buzz! When it was glowing, it was so pretty and green… I'd never felt so amazing!"

Ironwood felt his head beginning to hurt and put a hand to his temples. "And… who are they?"

"The voices!"

He looked up. He hadn't told anyone about that. How did the woman find out? "Penny, you said she left through a portal?"

"Yes. She said she had to get back to Mistral. She said she only got paid to stay and help me—and then she left!"

He started putting things together… was Penny saved by a witch? There was one way to find out. By the time he opened the double doors to the throne room, Cinder was expecting him. "General Ironwood… To what do I owe the pleasure?"

His voice filled the room and echoed off the vaulted ceilings. "What did you do to my daughter? Tell me!"

"Try to calm down… Your daughter was saved by an old acquaintance of mine."

"She… She can't feel anymore, she's telling me strange stories… What about this is being saved?"

"My acquaintance heals others by taking a substantial amount of money and the thing they love most from them. It seems your daughter was more afflicted than most, so extra measures had to be taken…"

"But… her sense of touch? Glowing? I don't understand…"

"The embrace of a parent…" Cinder mused. "Your daughter must love you very much." She crossed her legs on the throne. "Remember this day, Ironwood. Your loyalty now belongs to me."

/-/-/-/

Ozpin and Glynda walked into Ironwood's office. He was sitting with his head in his hands—it was just before the army was to be dispatched. They were using the guard's sector system, and had designated fifty soldiers per sector… There were probably thirty-five guards for the same. Glynda, always the more heated of the two, spoke first. "What is the meaning of this?"

Ironwood pulled his head up and spoke as if he hadn't heard her. "Oz, Glynda. My old friends… Do have a seat."

"We won't be staying long," Ozpin rushed before Glynda could say anything else.

She was not one to be silenced. "I want to know why the whole town is about to be covered in soldiers!"

"Perhaps you're referring to the White Fang resistance?" Ironwood suggested.

"It's more like war than resistance," Glynda spat.

"The White Fang killed the king and many of your guards. War sounds appropriate given the situation."

Ozpin stepped forward. "We think that move is too—"

"The White Fang killed the king… Ozpin, they killed the king!" James slammed his fist onto his desk and stood.

Glynda folded her arms and cast her head to the side in annoyance. "We're very much aware of that! Thank you, James."

"Fantastic! You're aware! Now are we going to do something about it or should we just stay the course and ignore what's right in front of us?"

"The guard can handle the White Fang, James," Ozpin broke in. "What you heard was an isolated incident caused by an… undeserving officer's promotion. His failure to follow protocol and discipline his guards—"

"All my soldiers are disciplined. With the support of the queen, I'm sending as many troops as I can to the city to eradicate the forces that stand in our way."

"Why must your answer to everything involve a triumphant display of military bravado?" Glynda growled. "You treat every situation like a contest of measuring di—"

"Glynda!"

"Well, he does," she stated unapologetically.

Ozpin let a moment pass before continuing in a more calm manner. "She's right. As much as I too would love to end this situation once and for all, we must remember that this goes on within the walls of Vale where the army plays no role, and if this is truly part of some master plan for revenge for which we know not the final move, we mustn't be so bold. Nor can we risk the spread of panic."

"We have been friends and allies for years… but if you mean to tell me that your plan is to hold the defenses and wait—"

Ozpin's temper broke. "It is not! You're a general, James. So tell me, when you to go to war, which do you use to block a spell? The sword or the shield? Let the guard handle the investigation before you send in your soldiers."

"You are right, but we need swords for an effective counter. My soldiers are going… and it is to work with the shield and assure the people, not throw it away completely."

That was the end of that.

/-/-/-/

Three days after the army set up patrols in the neighborhood, Yang figured it was calm enough to leave town. The White Fang hadn't been active in their area for a while, and she had somewhere she wanted to be.

She figured it was about time to pay Blake a visit, seeing as they were friends and everything now… That and she wanted another sparring match. She'd been practicing at home when she had alone time, but it wasn't the same. Besides, Yang liked the feeling of fighting with Blake and wanted to learn more about aura and its abilities. "Be safe, alright? If you're ever in trouble, contact Pyrrha's troops," she said.

"Got it, Sis." Ruby was sitting at her workbench. A large order for the guard had her tied up at the moment. "Say hi to your friend for me."

"Will do! I should be back in two days tops."

"Alright."

Yang leaned in a bit closer as she adjusted her bag on her back. "If the White Fang gets too close, Ignite them into next week."

"Crescent Rose is at the ready!" Ruby patted her scythe. If the White Fang was smart, they'd stay away before their brains were Scattered onto the floor.

"That's my baby sister." After a quick hug, Yang left her home and mounted Bumblebee at the stables. Galloping towards the edge of town, she was stopped by Pyrrha's patrol.

"Hello, Yang. Leaving for a quest?"

"Actually, I'm out on personal business this time."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, meeting up with a friend. I'll be back in two days tops."

"Well, be safe. The White Fang took out a noble yesterday."

"I heard. Is that why you're stopping everyone passing through?"

"The general ordered we keep track of everyone who does. It's just a formality for now, but if things get worse..."

"Sergeant," one of her soldiers warned.

"I should go."

"Well, nice seeing you, Sergeant Nikos," Yang winked.

"Always a pleasure, Adventurer Xiao Long," Pyrrha returned.

And so, Yang continued on her merry way.

/-/-/-/

Emerald yawned, enjoying the sunlight on the roof. She liked to spend her alone time wandering around the city or watching it from above. The tall buildings, diverse culture… Walk a block in Vale and it may as well be an entirely different city. From the castle roof, she had the perfect viewpoint.

She found Rose's Runes sitting in the small business sector. She'd have to pay Ruby a visit soon. Forming a frame around the shop with her hands, she laid down and felt the warm stone beneath her. Sometimes, she'd even come up here to practice with her aura. It was just so peaceful…

"Planning your next diabolical move?" Scratch that.

"How did you find me this time?"

Mercury sat next to her. "That's easy. I thought to myself, 'where do birds like to perch?'"

"I shouldn't have asked."

He chuckled softly to himself.

"Shouldn't you be working?" she glared.

"Shouldn't you?"

"I was just leaving." She stood up and stretched.

"Bullshit. Why do you hate me so much?"

Emerald narrowed her eyes and looked him. "You know, I can't pick just one reason."

"Try."

She answered a little too quickly. "You're an egotistical idiot with too much time on your hands."

He smirked and shrugged. "True, but I'm all you've got."

"I have Cinder."

Mercury laughed. "Really? You're just a tool for her to use and throw away. Don't all those books you read teach you anything good?"

"She needs me. That's all that matters."

"Whatever. You care."

Emerald left him there on the roof and walked towards her next destination without acknowledging that.

/-/-/-/

Weiss looked perplexedly at the note, which had found it's way onto her person while she was on patrol. On one side, there was a clumsily drawn picture of a Draco. On the other, there was one sentence:

_The Draco left its nest and its bones behind._

Grimm didn't even have nests. Crumpling it up, she vowed to throw it away later and shoved it back into her coin pouch. Currently, she was on her way to pick up the first load of an order with Lark. He drove their empty horse-drawn wagon while eyeing the soldiers posted around. It had been easier than expected to work with them, but it was still what Weiss deemed unnecessary.

The order they were going for was mostly weapons and armor sent in for touch-ups. Weiss went into the store alone. On her way in, she bumped into a woman with pale-green hair.

"Sorry about that," she apologized, smiling.

Weiss didn't pay her much attention. "It's fine."

"One second," Ruby called from behind a few stacked boxes after the door closed. "Hi… Ma'am," she finished unhappily when she poked her head out from behind them. Weiss was used to it.

"Hello. Lark is waiting outside to stack the shipment."

"Okay. You can leave the weekly amount on the table." Ruby grunted as she lifted up a box and slowly waddled past her.

While opening her coin pouch for the Lien, Weiss asked absentmindedly, "Where's your sister?" These days, it was odd for her and Ruby to be alone.

"She left to see her friend," Ruby strained. "Said she'd be back in two days tops."

Weiss wondered if it was the same "friend" the adventurer went to see after the Origin Demonstration.

The guard captain found the money… but not the note from earlier. Recalling the message, she froze. With a wave of inspiration, she ascended the stairs to the house and entered Yang's room.

Everything looked relatively the same as when she had stayed there save for one thing. The chest against the wall was ajar. Interest piqued, she opened it further to reveal two things. A dagger and a red and white mask.

Running down the stairs, she closed the door to the store just as Ruby reentered.

"Where'd you get that weird stuff?"

"You mean… you've never seen this before?"

"Nope, I don't remember working on it… why?" Weiss didn't wait to hear anything else. If this wasn't probable cause, she didn't know what was. Leaving the rest to Lark, she left in a hurry towards headquarters.

/-/-/-/

Yang knocked on her friend's door, already smiling. When it opened, she beamed, "Hey, Blakey! Not a bad time, is it?"

Blake looked stunned for a moment before shaking her head. "No, not at all."

"Great!" Yang walked in. "I would have visited earlier, but security's tight in the kingdom right now."

"You weren't kidding when you said 'soon.'"

"Of course not! Especially since we've got some unfinished business." Setting her bag down on the table, she rummaged through the contents.

"We… do?"

"Yup!" Finding what she was looking for, she pulled out a bottle of Nora's sweet ale; it glinted in the sunlight as she brandished it with pride. "Don't tell me you forgot about my quest already? You helped me complete it, so I brought part of the reward. Nora's sweet ale—finest in Vale!"

Blake looked at the red liquid and smirked. "Wow, alcoholic tree sap."

"Is there even a better kind?"

/-/-/-/

Blake listened to Yang's story half-attentively. The ale was making her ears feel uncomfortably hot, but it was only possible to solve half the problem given her current situation. She wasn't bad at holding her liquor, but that was without the bow.

"So, she blew up the dagger right in the guard captain's face! I had to bite my cheek so I wouldn't laugh!"

Blake managed a smile.

"You alright, Blakey?" Yang asked, noticing the lack of reaction.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I think I'm done, though."

"Oh. If you wanted to read, you could have just said so."

Blake nodded and picked up the novel she was reading earlier in the day. Hopefully, it would take her mind off of the uncomfortable feeling. Eventually, she gave up after realizing her current state of mind wasn't fit for reading philosophy. Walking over to Yang, she watched her draw for a moment before breaking out into loose giggles. "What is that?"

"It's you," Yang said a little sheepishly.

"That looks terrible!"

"I'm not exactly sober, Blake. It happens." After a few more seconds, Yang grinned. "Want me to draw some other stuff? It'll be fun."

"Like what?"

"Hmm… How about a cute little pony?" That ought to be interesting.

"Sure." Ten minutes later, a mix between Bumblebee and an octopus shared the page with her "portrait."

"That wasn't too hard!"

"Well, it's not bad for a new species," Blake said, laughing.

"Like you'd draw it better."

"Actually, I think I would."

"It's on, Blakey." Yang turned to another page and handed her the sketchbook. "If I win, I get the bed."

"You're staying the night?"

"Do you… not want me to?"

"No, it's fine... but are you sure your back won't be sore tomorrow?"

"You should worry about that yourself!"

Blake rolled her eyes. Taking the book, she drew Yang and Bumblebee on a blank page.

After a while of taking it in, Yang turned to her with the most serious expression she'd had on all day and asked, "Which one's the horse?"

/-/-/-/

Blake awoke on the floor at the same time she always did and went through yesterday's events. By the end, a faint smile graced her lips. She stood, dressed, and was about to get breakfast when another memory stopped her in her tracks.

_"Alright, but if I win, no fish for a week."_

Well, it was a good thing there was nothing else to eat around the house. Blake sat down in her usual spot at the table and looked at her friend. Yang was sprawled out on her bed, snoring softly. Last night, she'd joked about it smelling like fish everywhere. If that were true, it would disguise the scent of breakfast.

Turning back to the table, Blake found the sketchbook open to her last attempt at drawing. It was absolutely horrible. She blamed her discomfort from last night and the alcohol and decided to try again to redeem herself on the next page. Blake drew Yang again and nodded in satisfaction when it turned out far better. Before she could get started on Bumblebee, Yang mumbled, "I can smell the fish from here, Blake."

"I thought you said everything smelled like fish."

"Your bed smells like you, and that smells like fish." Yang pointed in the loose direction of breakfast.

Smirking, Blake jokingly thought Yang's sense of smell may be more developed than an Ursa's. "Unless you want to starve, there isn't another option."

Yang pouted and looked at her. "That's not fair. We had a deal." After a pause, she continued with a glint in her eyes. "So, if I win today's sparring match, no fish for two weeks."

"Deal." Now that Blake knew what to expect, she was confident she could win.

/-/-/-/

Yang insisted they go somewhere new and exciting for their spar today, and so Blake showed her to the lake she fished at. At once, Yang saw the island in the middle and ran across the rickety bridge to get to it. Blake had followed less enthusiastically. Now, they faced each other with their weapons out, ready to begin. "I've been practicing, Blakey. You better have enjoyed that fish this morning." She pointed to the lake. "If either of us touches the water, we lose."

"Alright, sounds fair. Ready?"

Yang lowered into her fighting stance. "Ready." A still second later, the battle began. It looked like Blake's strategy was to force her back into the water with ranged attacks. It was a good plan seeing as Yang was a fist fighter; she was determined to close the distance.

She broke into a sprint, dodging the chain scythe as she went. After every three steps, a well-aimed hit would drive her back one, but the distance was closing. When maybe half of it had been diminished, Blake upped the voltage in Gambol Shroud.

Yang stopped and grinned. If that was how it was going to be… two could play that game. She channeled her aura to her fists and hit the weapon out of the way as she ran closer.

Seeing that it wasn't going to be that easy, Blake turned Gambol Shroud back into katana form and met Yang near the middle of the island. Both her sharpened sheath and her blade danced through the air and Ember Celica met them both fiercely.

Yang Ignited a fist in her opponent's face, using the flash to flank her, but the next hit met a copy. Yang let the electricity course through her arm instead of wasting aura to nullify it. She just barely blocked the next attack as Blake leapt and propelled her weapon downwards. Landing gracefully, she flowed right into a sweep kick. Since Yang was too close to the lake to dodge backwards, she dove forwards instead and tackled Blake. Their auras met and evened out while they fought. Yang punched at her face, but Blake dodged and the fist hit the ground.

Gambol Shroud changed into chain scythe form, and Blake flipped their positions, trying to press the blade downward. Yang used Ignite one more time, but it met another copy as her opponent used it to roll up and out of the way. Frustrated at missing again, Yang's eyes flashed red and she advanced. Now, Blake was closer to the lake and Yang vowed to keep it that way.

The fight was driven back as far as the water's edge. Since they were within close range of each other, Yang planned to counter the cain scythe but it unexpectedly changed trajectory and traveled downwards. The ribbon wrapped around her ankles and was yanked forwards. Feeling herself falling towards the water, she did the only sensible thing to do and took Blake down with her. Blake tried to get out of the way, but Yang caught her by the wrist and brought them both into the water at the same time.

The nullified Yang's aura, and almost immediately, she was shocked silly by Blake's. Her friend scrambled out of the lake, looking stunned and a bit like a wet cat. Yang dragged herself onto shore in an embarrassingly undignified manner. Everything hurt and felt fried. After a while, she pulled herself next to Blake a ways from the edge of the water and sprawled out, panting. Her aura slowly flickered back to life, healing the injuries. As for Blake, she seemed to be very unhappy.

There was a long bit of silence before Yang broke into laughter. At first, Blake looked surprised, but eventually, they both were laughing to the point where Yang's stomach hurt. "Well, that was a thing."

"I didn't expect a tie."

"You underestimated me, then!"

"I guess I did. Sorry."

Yang grinned. She had already grown quite a bit if she could tie with her teacher. "Don't worry about it. The real question is, what's for lunch?"

"Fish."

Yang sighed. "I thought so." An idea came to mind. "You know, if you really wanted to make it up to me, we could only have fish once every other day from now on."

Blake was quiet for a moment. "Didn't you owe me one once?"

"I remember someone said not to worry about it…" More silence.

"Fine… I guess that's fair for a tie."

"Great!" After that, they both took their time studying the picturesque scenery. A lightly misted lake surrounded by red trees and a brilliant blue sky… A question came to mind. "Hey, Blake, why don't you use Dust like me?"

"It'd be unfair for you if I did."

Yang snorted. "No, really."

"I just prefer aura—for personal reasons."

Yang decided not to press it and instead appreciated the fact that she just learned something about Blake. "Okay." They gazed out onto the lake a while longer.

"Yang? I'm… glad we became friends."

Yang smiled widely and turned her head to look into gold. "Me too."

/-/-/-/

Blake watched Yang leave and couldn't stop herself from wishing she'd stayed a little longer. Yang both respected her as another person and was fun to be around. That was irreplaceable to Blake. The two had spent the rest of the day yesterday going through Yang's sketchbook. Blake was surprised by the her attention to detail and decided to just stop assuming things in general. If anything, she now assumed she would be pleasantly surprised.

Earlier that morning, Yang informed her she had to go back to Vale and left about as quickly as she came. Again, though, she had promised they would meet again soon. Blake went back into her home and changed her bow, which had never completely dried after she fell into the lake. Her ears were terribly itchy.

After replacing the wet bow, she laid down and continued reading where she had left off two days ago. She would finish it shortly. By that time, maybe…

/-/-/-/

When Yang returned home, she did not expect a scene anything like what she found. On one side of the door to Rose's Runes stood Pyrrha and her soldiers, looking disgruntled. On the other side stood Weiss and her guards, looking content. In the middle, Ruby sat on the front step of the store, looking distraught. "Yang, run!" she called.

"What's going on here, Pyrrha?" Yang inquired, curiosity piqued.

"You're under arrest for treason and being an accomplice to murder," Weiss answered.

Yang was sure she had misheard. "What?" The army formed a ring around her and Lark went to detain her, but she glared at him and he froze. "Really, Pyrrha?"

"I'm sorry, Yang. I can't do anything about this," Pyrrha said guiltily.

Yang laughed in disbelief. "No way…"

"If you try to fight your arrest, you will be assumed guilty," Weiss announced as she replaced Lark.

With Ruby standing right there, Yang decided to ignore the almost overwhelming feeling of wanting to mow down both patrols and get the hell out of Vale. She was going to be strong. She wasn't the one in the wrong. She held out her hands. Fine. Take me in, Weiss. I'm innocent."

Weiss eyes narrowed at the lack of a title. "We'll see about that."

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN:** The long-awaited Weisspocalypse is here! It's heeere!

Seriously, though. Weiss, I swear...

**NEXT:** The Adventurer and the Thief


	13. The Adventurer and the Thief

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Adventurer and the Thief)

Yang was paraded through the city by both patrols on the way to the castle. When the guards came to the end of their section, they left, and Pyrrha's troops formed a more concealing ring around her. Still though, it was strange to feel the gazes of the citizens. Some were curious while others were cold. The people she knew looked shocked, and she smiled at them reassuringly.

Weiss had her guards force Ruby to stay home during all this. Yang's mind drifted back to her sister. Hopefully, the she wasn't too upset. More for her sake than the Weiss'.

When they reached the castle, Yang's bag and gauntlets were taken from her, and she was sent to the dungeon. Everyone from common thieves to mass-murderers watched her like Beowolves watch their victims before striking. She wished she still had Ember Celica, but if need be, her bare hands would be enough to fend off the pack of prisoners.

It didn't come to that, though. She was thrown into an empty cell relatively out of sight. Without even her sketchbook, she was completely bored in less than ten minutes. This lasted until a man in a black mantle came to see her. Yang had seen him earlier when she was entering the dungeon… Something felt off about him.

He just stood there for a long while, studying her. Finally, he spoke. "You have aura, don't you?"

Yang nearly flinched before acting on instinct. "An aura… You seem pretty shady yourself!" She leaned against the bars of her cell at a calculated angle. "Now, what business could you be on to someone like me?" Partially lidding her eyes, she drew out her voice just so. "Care to... get me out of here?"

He stood, visage concealed in darkness. She looked where she figured his eyes would be and held her position firmly yet with an aloof air. The dungeon's torches were the only thing in motion before he turned on his heel and left.

Immediately afterwards, Yang sat on her cot with more questions than answers. Who was he? How did he know about aura? Perhaps time would tell… either way, she was going to get answers. Something told her they would come to her sooner or later whether she sought them out or not.

/-/-/-/

Adam entered the throne room and removed the hood of his mantle, kneeling before the queen. He was only doing this because it would help him later… and save him the trouble of having to fight the queen for not providing such information.

"Adam… you've come here for a reason."

"The woman the soldiers just brought in has aura."

"Does she?" After a few beats, low laughter rippled through the throne room. "It seems our little pawn has become a scapegoat." Leaning back, she rested her head on one hand and tapped the other against the arm of the throne. Soon, a smirk appeared. "Find her weakness. Use the guard if you must… I want the information before the trial."

"Very well." Putting his hood on again, Adam left for the White Fang's base of operations—the east wing of the castle.

/-/-/-/

Ozpin stared into the dark pool of coffee filling his mug. Word just arrived that Captain Schnee had captured the queen's lead. Where it would lead to, he could only guess. It was highly unlikely that a human was working with the White Fang due to the organization's animosity towards their race… but the chance was not zero. A knock at the door broke him from his musings.

"Commander Ozpin," Glynda said from behind the thick wood. "I have the report on the army's effect on the city."

Ozpin let her in, and they looked over the package of papers together in silence. So far, nothing disastrous had happened… a few squabbles here and there, but nothing irreparable. An area caught his attention.

"Region six sector six has no guard patrols…"

"A decision made by the region captain. Shall I investigate further?"

"No…" Ozpin shook his head. The needed information was already there. Fifty-four soldiers, zero guards, and a high arrest and interrogation rate. "This area has the kingdom's largest concentration of Faunus. I want a troop of men in the area to ensure the soldiers do not abuse their power and widen the rift between races."

"I'll see to it. And, about the region captain?"

Commander Ozpin took another sip of his coffee. "Make sure he understands the care such an area requires."

Glynda smacked her riding crop into the palm of her hand. "Gladly."

/-/-/-/

Sun peeked out of the one functional window in his home. Ever since the White Fang resurfaced, the slums had become inundated with soldiers. He suspected it was because there was a high concentration of Faunus in the area, but it was more annoying than threatening. These days, he had to spend more time analyzing the soldiers' patrol schedule than he would have liked. His rate of accumulating valuable items was decreasing.

Sun closed the boarded window and sat on his bed. The barracks had been empty when he first "moved in," and it took him a long while to get it this homey—even his mattress was stolen. Treasures were showcased around the room, even in front of the door to the rest of the outpost... Sun had only been into the other rooms once—to clean them out. Nothing particularly fruitful had come from that.

Speaking of the other rooms… a suspicious noise at the boarded entrance downstairs drew his attention. He listened with baited breath. Sure enough, there were footsteps and muffled voices closing in on his location. Glancing at the window, he realized he didn't have enough time to escape. Even if he did, someone could be waiting for him at the bottom of his escape tree. Had the soldiers found out about him?

Scrambling to hide, Sun shoved as many goods as possible into his pockets, flung open the door of the nearest wardrobe, and buried himself under the rugs and furs he had stacked and hung.

No sooner had he done this than the door swung open. Through the wardrobe's keyhole, he could see a guard patrol. Their region captain stepped through the patrol, and his mouth gaped. "Is this some kind of sick joke? Slap me across the face and give my guards more in treasure than I've earned last year…" He held a strangely shaped red mark on his face as he spoke. Clicking his tongue, he spun on his heel. "Damn this sector." Before he was completely out of sight, he addressed his guards. "Set up how you like. I don't care what you do as long as you do your job. We'll see how long the commander's pets last against the White Fang," he chuckled. Then, he was gone.

"Who shoved a stick up that region captain's ass?"

"Thrush," the captain warned.

"Sorry, Captain."

"I'll be setting up in the office. You guys sort through this stuff. I don't care what happens to it as long as I get a share."

The guards saluted. "Yes, Captain!" They got to work sorting out what was there.

"Aw, man, this place is awesome!" Thrush opened the wardrobe Sun was currently hiding in. The thief ducked underneath the furs and held his breath. "That's more fur than I've seen in the commander's room!"

An older guard spoke up. "Look here, Fresh Meat. Don't get too comfortable. New guys get the smallest share."

Sighing, Thrush closed the wardrobe doors. "My name's Russel. Not 'Fresh Meat.'"

"Right, but you're fresh meat to us," the other guards laughed.

Thrush groaned.

Sun waited until the guards had left the room before tentatively opening the wardrobe and poking his head out of it. Thrush, who was sitting in the keyhole's blind spot, jumped at the sight of him. In the following two seconds of silence, the thief had planned his daring escape. "Hey, Fresh Meat!" he greeted as he ran away.

Recovering from his surprise, Thrush shouted, "Freeloader! Hey, Captain!"

Sun didn't wait to hear the rest as he bolted out the boarded window.

"Freeze, you no-good freeloader!" the other guards called after him as he neared the base of the tree.

"Hey, a 'no-good' freeloader would've been caught!" Sun launched back at them. "I'm a _great_ freeloader!" Then, he landed on the ground and fled in the opposite direction of the outpost.

Looking behind him once, he saw Thrush on the chase. How the guard had managed to climb down the tree so fast, he had no idea.

Every chance he got, Sun tipped over boxes and turned down alleys. Just when he figured he'd lost his pursuer, Thrush appeared behind him, panting heavily. Sun started to climb up a low building, but a dagger lodged itself right in the wall next to his hand. Startled, he moved around it and kept going, but by that time it was too late. He could only go so far. Looking down, the thief saw another dagger pinning his tail to the wall. It had somehow slipped from his belt loops in the endeavor and was now stuck to the building, dripping a bright red.

Shouting in surprise, Sun pulled out the dagger. By this point, the guard caught up to him and put him in handcuffs. Thrush caught his breath and sneered, "You're a Faunus? What a freak!"

To be caught twice in such a short time period… Sun figured he'd lost his skills.

/-/-/-/

Yang counted the bricks on the wall for the third time. The first time she'd done it, she'd gotten seventy-eight. The second time, eighty-three. This time, she'd set the record straight… or die of boredom trying.

On brick fifty-four, a ruckus from the dungeon entrance drew her attention. "Ouch, watch it! I already told you guys I have nothing to do with the White Fang. I'm just a thief!"

"That's what they all say."

"Maybe they're all right!"

"Alright, answer me this. If you aren't part of the White Fang, why were you eavesdropping on one of region six's guard posts?"

"Because I lived there!"

"Ha! Like I'd believe that. You White Fang members are all the same. Meet your new cellmate. Maybe you'll feel more at home with a fellow terrorist." The thief was thrown into Yang's cell. She noticed he was a Faunus, looking at his monkey tail which was bandaged at the end. It was like the authorities were locking up anyone who meets part of the criteria.

"I told you, I'm not a terrorist!" he shouted, but the jailer was gone. The thief tucked his tail into his belt loops and collapsed onto the empty bed across the room.

"Are you part of the White Fang, too?" Yang asked facetiously.

"As if. Stupid 'holier-than-thou' creeps who use force to get whatever they want…" He sighed. "Keep ruining my life."

"It's like they think any Faunus who doesn't bow to the humans is part of the White Fang these days."

The thief sat up. "Exactly! But… you're a human."

"You can tell?"

"It's a gift. Anyway, why'd they throw you in here?"

"I'm an adventurer."

"Huh." He pointed to himself with his thumb. "I'm a thief, so, we're like, related or something. Nobody likes either of us!"

"Only one of us breaks the law, though," Yang pointed out. She smiled when he became gloomy. "I'm kidding."

Looking up, the thief returned it through the darkness. "Oh. I'm Sun!"

"I'm Yang. Got anything fun to do?"

/-/-/-/

Adam wiped the blood off his hands using a curtain and left the home. They'd all been saying the same thing. "The only thing she mentioned was her sister!" Or, something along those lines. It was all too easy an investigation. Apparently, Yang liked to run her mouth. He frowned and torched the house to make up for the lack of a thrill.

Returning to the castle, he relayed his findings to a pleased Cinder. She smirked as she gave him a plan in return. "You seem happy," he remarked.

"I'm easily satisfied with the very best, Adam." Soon after that, he was dismissed.

In his quarters, Adam wondered if there was any possible way to make the week go by faster. The anticipation was killing him. He could already tell he would love the trial.

/-/-/-/ (Shout-out to Benjamin Franklin) /-/-/-/

Yang could feel her anger reaching a boiling point as she recounted the events of her arrest to Sun. "And right in front of my sister, too! Who does Weiss think she is?"

"That's not right." He adjusted his open collar. "Is it just me or is it getting hot in here?"

Yang didn't hear him. "If I get my hands on her, I'll burn her so badly…"

"No kidding. You're actually burning." Startled, Yang looked down to find she'd subconsciously called out her aura. Putting out the small golden flame, she looked up, mortified. Sun was far from scared or angry, though. "Wow, how'd you get aura? It's rare for a human to have it."

"I got if from that friend I mentioned. Do you have it, too?"

"Me? No… but if you're willing to share…"

Yang laughed. "You're the third person I've met who's heard of it."

"Who was the second?"

"Some weird guy in a black mantle showed up at my cell today. I played dumb about the whole aura thing, though."

"Did you see his face?"

"No."

"You don't think he's part of the actual White Fang… do you?"

Yang pondered that. "He could be."

"And you're not worried?"

She held up a fist. "I can handle it."

Sun gave her a look. "Maybe you can, but can your sister? The White Fang doesn't just go after individuals anymore…"

"Ruby can take care of her self..." Even if she said that, she'd prefer it if Ruby didn't have to handle it alone. She sank into silence for a couple moments. "You said you wanted aura?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Sun took out his tail. "I don't want revenge or anything… but the White Fang was responsible for the death of my family. Because of that incident, I can't use my tail anymore. I heard aura heals you…"

Yang could feel he wasn't lying. Blake gave her aura to survive… maybe she could help someone, too. "Okay." She winked at him. "But, you owe me one."

"Awesome!" There was a pause.

"How do I do it?"

Sun gaped at her. "You mean, you don't know?"

Yang shrugged. "I was unconscious when it happened."

"Great."

"You don't know either, then?"

"All I know is, you say 'release' and that's when all the magic happens."

"Should we even do it here? Why not when we're both out?"

"The guards aren't even watching us! Probably…"

"Well, then I guess now's as good a chance as any…" Looking around to make sure no one was around; Yang called out her aura and walked towards him. Then, she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ow!" Sun pulled away, his clothing singed.

"Sorry, let's try that again." Fifteen minutes later, they were running out of options.

"I really think I felt it that last time…" Sun said, nursing a fresh burn. "Or maybe all the heat's starting to get to me."

"Maybe I'm doing something wrong… I don't think it hurt when Blake unlocked my aura, so it could be more like…" She lowered the flame to barely-visible levels. "One more time."

"Okay… just don't try it on my hand again. I'm done with that."

"Got it." Focusing all her aura into her hands, she put one hand on his chest and another behind his head in a last-ditch effort. "Release," Yang ordered for what must have been the hundredth time.

To both of their surprises, something actually happened. Yang felt like all of her aura was being sucked towards a single point. It took all her energy to keep her hands there. After a few seconds, a yellow glow enveloped Sun and healed his burns. Once it had stabilized, Yang felt like it was safe to take her hands away. She stood back, panting heavily.

"Whoa…" Sun looked down at his aura. "It worked!" Suddenly, his back stiffened and he grunted in surprise.

"Are you okay?"

"Y—Yeah it's just…" He flung his hands onto the base of his tail. "It's… sooo itchy!" The Faunus engaged in a strange dance as he furiously itched his tail. After a minute or two, it died down and he collapsed onto the cot in a tired heap. Yang broke into laughter.

Sun joined in, moving his fully healed tail in front of him to look at.

"Hey! What's all the racket back there?" The jailer's started heading towards them.

"Yang, quick! How do I turn it off?"

"Imagine it's a candle and blow it out!" Sun blew on his tail for all it was worth, but nothing happened. "It's not working! Help!"

"Imagine harder!" Sun screwed his eyes shut and kept blowing. Eventually, the glow ceased, but he didn't realize it. The jailer stopped and stood in front of the cell, looking thoroughly weirded-out by the display. Yang was trying hard to look serious.

"Kids these days," the jailer muttered as he turned around and walked away.

After he'd left, Yang resumed her laughter. "Y—Your aura's out, Sun."

Opening an eye, Sun looked at his tail and found the yellow light gone. "Phew. That was scary…" He smiled, curling and uncurling his tail. "It's been so long… Thanks, Yang."

"No problem! When we get out of here, let's be friends, okay?"

"Sure!"

"Oh, and remember. You owe me one," Yang added playfully.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **I'm in love with that Sunshine.

To all of you who reviewed in the past week, thank you so much! They brightened my day. Cloy, I agree with you. Weiss is totally a being a butt. Got a question to answer and then I'm out... Have a great one!

**Did you come up with the magic system yourself or did you read about this in a novel?** I came up with this myself. I, too, have been a fan of rune systems for a while... wish I could give you another novel to read for this particular system, Goldenforging, but this is it!

I'm still very much open to responding to questions! Also, reviews are much appreciated.

**NEXT: **Witch! Witch!


	14. Witch! Witch!

~~AAAND START!~~ (Witch! Witch!)

Sun had had just about enough of the prison scene. The meals, if they were served, were terrible and he and Yang could only play so many games with the trinkets in his hidden pocket. He nudged Yang awake. He was really going places—two human friends in less than a month. "I decided I'm getting out of here."

Yang furrowed her brow. It was hard to tell how much of that she registered. "Okay."

"Want to come with me?" Their trial was supposedly soon, but they hadn't any idea how long it had been or how much longer it would be.

"No… I'll wait until the trial. If I run, it'll be bad for Ruby."

"Your sister?"

"Yeah."

Sun smiled. "Okay. Want me to do anything for you?"

"My gauntlets—" Yang yawned. "Take them to her."

"That's it?"

"Yeah. Just in case."

"Ember Celica to Rose's Runes. After that, we're even, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay, pretend to sleep again. It'll be like you didn't know."

"I'm going to sleep for real," she mumbled.

"Perfect." They looked at each other for a second before nodding. Yang rolled over and Sun went to the bars of the cell. "Jailer," he called. "I need some water."

"Suck it up," came his response.

"Aw, but I'm really thirsty. Please?"

"Suck. It. Up."

Sun exhaled… and then began rattling the bars and shouting at the top of his lungs, "JAILER! I NEED WATER! JAILER, JAILER, GET ME WATER!"  
"Ugh, shut up! Fine, I'll get you your damn water, you spoiled brat." There jailer picked up a bucket. "I'll get you a whole week's worth of water…"

As the jailer neared, Sun spotted the keys on his back and planned his next move. When the jailer was close to the bars, he threw the bucket of water into the cell. At that moment, Sun ducked and used his aura to create a flash in front of his face. The water completely missed its target and went flying against the wall. Then, the jailer dropped the bucket and grabbed Sun by the shirt.

"Did you just try and magic me?"

Sun held up his hands and shrugged with a small smile while using his tail to snag the keys. "I dunno, did I?"

"Hmph. A light show won't get you out of here..." With that, the jailer left, leaving Sun contently twirling the key ring with his tail.

"Actually… it will." He turned back to Yang one last time. "Bye, Yang."

Without waiting for an answer, he unlocked the cell door, sneaked over to a torch, took it off the wall, and stamped it out. The jailer sighed a great sigh and got up to check it out. When the man had bent over to take a closer look at the suspicious scene, the thief made a break for it. The other prisoners wouldn't make it easy, though. In their jealousy, they hollered, "He's trying to escape! Jailer!" They even yelled louder when Sun tried to shush them.

Luckily, he had the keys and exited and locked the dungeon before the jailer could catch him. How he was going to find where the weapons were, he had no clue… but hardly had to worry, as the second room he tried was the right one.

Sun easily found his staff and what must have been Ember Celica, which was conveniently located under Yang's name. He put on the gauntlets in bracelet form and took off. This was where his undetected streak ended. The castle guards found him near the exit and the chase was on. Running at top speed, he went up some stairs and onto a terrace. Next, he made use of his agility and began to climb down to a different exit… but there, the guards cut off his escape as well.

"Prisoner! Stop!"

There was no chance of that happening. Since the area below him was blocked, he kept climbing up and over towards the darkened areas of the castle. Hopefully, all his luck hadn't dried up on him yet.

/-/-/-/

Neptune left his room and walked towards the library to find a new book. He'd often finished reading something early in the night and relished the opportunity to peruse his father's old collection for another great title before bed. Entering the dark library, he lit a candle and carried it to the shelves.

He found something he figured would be good based off the first chapter when shouting below the library's window drew him near the glass. As soon as he opened it to see was happening, Sun swung down into the pane using his tail. It took Neptune a moment of staring at the hanging person to register what was happening.

"Ah!" In his surprise, he threw his book at the intruder. It hit Sun in the face, almost causing him to plummet from the third floor.

"Ouch! That hurt, man! I'm trying to escape, here!"

That voice sounded familiar. Neptune brought his candle closer to Sun and nearly dropped it at his discovery. "Sun…?"

"Neptune…?"

"You're a Faunus?"

"You're the prince?" They probably could have stood, or hung, there all night had the guards not gotten closer to the window.

"There he is!"

"Oh, crap." Sun swung into the library. "Neptune, hide me!"

Panicking, Neptune ran over to the late king's desk and opened a hidden compartment in the wood. When he was younger, his father would sometimes let him hide there from the castle tutors. "Quick, in here!"

Sun hurried inside, then Neptune grabbed a random book off the shelves and took a seat at the desk. As soon as he hastily opened the front cover, a guard broke into the room. "My prince! I was not aware you were here… Forgive my sudden entry. Might you have seen an escaped Faunus prisoner in this area? He has a monkey's tail."

Neptune pretended to study the book, which he had already read twice. "Mm, nope. Can't say I have."

"...I see. If anything comes up, do let us know."

"Of course. Good luck finding that guy."

"Thank you, Sir." The door slowly closed. Neptune was about to get up when it swung open again and nearly gave him a heart attack. "Oh, and Prince Neptune?"

"Y—Yeah?"

"Queen Cinder sends a message saying she'll be busy at a trial all day tomorrow. Your attendance is not required, however."

"Oh… Okay."

"But, since one of the prisoners being tried has escaped, it might not take all day…"

"Right… aren't you going to go look for him?"

The guard snapped to attention. "O—Of course, Sir! Forgive me!" The door then closed and the guard's footsteps echoed down the hallway. After waiting a few more seconds just to make sure, Neptune got up again and let Sun, who was holding a bloody nose, out of the compartment.

"Whoa, what happened to your face, dude?"

"I was hit with a book."

"Oh. Yeah, sorry."

"It's cool. I guess we're even now."

"Um, yeah, I guess so…" Neptune brightened considerably. "But, I didn't know you were a Faunus! That's crazy 'cause, like, I've only ever met a few and here my best friend is a Faunus and I didn't even know!"

"I'm your best friend?"

"Of course!" He stiffened. "Uh… I mean… Yeah. Of course. I guess. And... you're kind of my only friend."

"But, you're the prince!"

"That's the point. I dress casual and get out of the castle every once and a while because I'm not normal. Out there, it doesn't matter, you know?"

"Wow… Doesn't your stepmom hate Faunus? You're royalty, right? Why help me out?"

"Eh. The queen and I don't really agree on a lot of stuff. This is one of them."

"Oh…" Sun studied him for a moment. "You know, in the slums, people think all the royals are the same. It's good to know that's not all true."

"Thanks." Neptune gestured to the library. "So, why are you here?

"You won't believe this…" The two sat at a table further into the library as Sun told his story. "So, I locked the jailer in the dungeon and escaped. The guards chased me here and that's when I found you!"

"Nice!"

"I know! And, the best part is, I got aura. But, that's a secret, okay?"

"Got it."

"You'd better. I just don't want to screw this up, you know? I'm supposed to bring Yang's gauntlets back to her sister and that's kind of a big deal. She healed my tail, so I owe her a lot."

"Chill, okay? You got this."

"Thanks."

"No problem." Neptune leaned back in his chair and yawned. "You can stay at my place tonight… Maybe you should wait until after the trial to give the gauntlets back. You know, to lay low."

"Good point." Sun yawned as well and stood, stretching. "So, where do you stay in this place?"

"Hold on, I'll show it to you after I grab another book. I kinda threw my first choice at you when you came in through the window."

"You are such a nerd."

"I prefer the term 'intellectual.'"

Sun laughed. "Whatever, nerd."

/-/-/-/

Today was the day of Yang's trial and Ruby wouldn't miss it for the world. She could imagine the look on Weiss's face when she was found innocent and it was priceless.

For a solid week, Yang had been kept in the castle dungeon with no visitors allowed. It was totally wrong and it was all Weiss's fault. Yang had done nothing wrong.  
They'd decided to hold her trial in the town square, which was unusual… Pyrrha said it was something about publicizing things or making examples of the White Fang. There was even another person that was going to be tried. Ruby didn't know them, but she was pretty sure this wouldn't be an effective example.

Arriving at the square, she could see there was a huge turnout. It would be hard to find the others like this… Ruby figured she should just find Nora, Ren, and Jaune after the trial. They said they'd all meet up at Nora's tavern later, anyway. Pyrrha would probably join them after work. Finding a spot where she could easily see the stage that was set up, Ruby watched the beginning of the trial.

/-/-/-/

Weiss' guards and Pyrrha's soldiers escorted Yang to the raised stage. Secretly, she'd always dreamed of being in front of a crowd… but not like this. Queen Cinder was seated, flanked by the Commander Ozpin and General Ironwood on either side. Yang was made to stand in front of her. From the crowds, people were shouting insults. Stones and other objects pelted onto the stage—a few of which coming dangerously close to their target.

Yang glanced behind her in time to see someone chuck a particularly large and heavy-looking stone at her head. To prevent injury, she ducked and the rock sailed over her and directly towards the queen. In that instant, the crowd went quiet and watched with baited breath. To everyone's surprise, instead of allowing the general to slice it down or the commander to block it, she simply leaned back into the chair and caught the stone in a lax position.

"Let's start the trial… shall we?" At Queen Cinder's words, the person who threw the stone looked down in shame. "Yang Xiao Long. You were arrested for treason and for being an accomplice to a massacre… though other charges are now being pressed." Yang looked up in surprise. "Sun Wukong, the Faunus on trial today as well, escaped the dungeon last night. I have reason to believe you were involved in that. What do you say?"

"I'm not in the White Fang and I didn't help Sun escape."

The crowd rippled. Someone called, "Liar!" A few others agreed.

Cinder raised a hand and the shouting stopped. "If you are found guilty, you are to be executed on the spot. Do you understand?"

Yang's heart rate picked up. "Y-Yeah…"

"And, if you lie or try to escape your fate, you will be assumed guilty. Do you understand?"

"Uh-huh."

"Good. We shall now present evidence from both sides. Our first witness is Sir Peter Port. Sir Port, please recount the events on the night of the Origin Demonstration."

"Gladly!" he boomed.

As he went on telling his story, Yang looked around the crowd. To her right sat Ren, Nora, and Jaune. Nora waved at her and she smiled. Looking to her left, she found Ruby watching her. Using one of her cuffed hands, she managed a small wave. Her sister smiled and waved back.

"Ms. Xiao Long?" Cinder asked.

"Huh?"

"What do you think about this?"

Yang's cheeks reddened. "Um… Repeat the question?"

"As part of Sir Port's story supports, did you help the assassin escape on the night of the Origin Demonstration?"

"No, I didn't. We fought and that was it," she maintained.

"I see. Next, we have Guard Captain Weiss Schnee to testify."

Weiss stepped forward from Yang's right. "Yes, Ma'am."

"You have two objects you'd wish to bring to the attention of the court, correct?"

"That's correct, Your Highness. I found these in defendant's room two days before she was arrested." She held up the mask and the dagger. The crowd gasped.

"Where were these items located?" Queen Cinder inquired.

"Wait," Yang demanded. "I've never seen those befo—"

"In a chest on the defendant's wall" Weiss answered, cutting her off. "I'd like to point out that this dagger matches the description for one of the two weapons the king's assassin used and the mask follows the White Fang's designs closely."

"Kill her!" someone screamed. A guard shushed them and others, but the crowd refused to quiet completely.

"How did you come to possess these items, Ms. Xiao Long?" Cinder inquired.

"I swear I've never seen those before in my life." Yang turned to Weiss. "Are you sure you found those in my room? In the chest against the wall?"

"Of course I am!" Weiss scoffed.

"That's weird because I only put my old sketchbooks in there. I don't use it for anything else."

"All the better reason to hide it there," Cinder mused. "Your sister wouldn't suspect it."

"Except, I didn't hide it there."

Weiss glared at Yang. "Then how did it get there?"

"It must have been a set-up!"

"Liar! Scatter her!" the crowd called.

Cinder silenced them. "I'd like the final witness to come forward. Army Sergeant Pyrrha Nikos, please tell us your story."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Pyrrha stepped forward from Yang's left and told about how Yang tried to protect her sister on the night of the Origin Demonstration and how she went to visit the same friend three times; each before, immediately after, and again some time after the Demonstration.

"Who is this friend of yours, Ms. Xiao Long?"

"U—Um…" Yang didn't exactly know how to bring it all up without mentioning aura. Speaking about something similar to magic would really make her seem guilty. "Well, I met her in Forever Fall during a quest before the Demonstration. She saved me from an Ursa. I don't really know why she lives there, but she said she prefers it to the city."

"So, the first time you met her was during a quest?"

"Yeah! After that, I… went there to…"

"Ms. Xiao Long?"

"What about the last time you went there?" Pyrrha offered.

Yang mentally thanked her friend for saving her there. "Oh, that's easy. I went to split some of the quest reward."

"All common practice for an adventurer…" Cinder had Pyrrha step back. "Now, I'd like you to tell your story from the beginning. In particular, I'd like your detailed account of the second time you went to this friend in Forever Fall. The one just after the Origin Demonstration."

Yang felt her breath catch in her throat. How was she going to explain it in a way that didn't make her seem like a witch or White Fang member? She decided to start with what she could. "Well, I…" As Yang told her story, her eyes drifted around the crowd until she found Ruby, who gave her an encouraging smile and a thumbs up. As Yang continued, she searched the crowd a second time to find a figure in a black mantle standing fairly close to Ruby. It was the same figure in a black mantle she had seen earlier. She was sure of it.

As soon as she made eye contact with the hooded figure, he it started to move closer to her sister.

"Ms. Xiao Long?" Cinder was growing impatient.

She must have trailed off in her story. "S—Sorry… Anyways, I…"

_"You don't think he's part of the actual White Fang, do you?"_

The person was picking up his pace.

_"__The White Fang doesn't just go after individuals anymore…"_

"I…"

Pyrrha gave her a concerned look and Weiss rolled her eyes. Suddenly, the man lunged and grabbed Ruby from behind. Yang could faintly hear her yell, "Hey, let me go!"

"Ruby!"

"Y—Yang!" The crowd turned.

"Guards," Cinder called, but nothing happened. Around the outer ring of the crowd, all the patrols shattered to pieces. Someone screamed—a limp and bloody hand hung out of the bushes. The crowd started to run.

Ruby tried to reach for Crescent Rose, but the figure held her arms firmly. As he applied pressure, she screamed. He began to drag Ruby out of the crowd.

Yang strained against her bonds. "Ruby!" she panicked

"Yang!" Suddenly, her sister stopped struggling… An arm wasn't supposed to bend that way…

Realizing what had happened, Yang was consumed with a blinding rage. Roaring, she felt her aura flare around her and both patrols backed away in fear and surprise. Her eyes shone an enraged vermillion. Her golden blaze heated her restraints, making them easy to pry off. Once freed, she jumped into the hysterical crowd. People were trampled as others tried to get away from the assassin and the witch.

Yang tore off Adam's mantle to reveal a mask, and a deeply set frown, which twisted into an amused grin.

"Yang…?" Ruby's voice was small.

Somewhere in the back of Yang's head, she registered what she'd just done… and what the consequences might be. "My friend lives near the center of Forever Fall… She'll explain everything," she explained hurriedly. Without waiting for a response, she turned back to Adam and felt her flames intensify at just the sight of him.

He broke Ruby's arm. He didn't deserve to walk out of this fight.

Yang threw a jab-cross combo and blocked a downward slash. She grabbed the blade, her burning hand the epicenter of a growing red glow. Adam activated his own aura and wrenched the blade back. They exchanged a few more blows, but he was giving Yang ground bit by bit. Before things got serious, he fled.

Gasping now from the sustained use of her semblance, Yang eyed the crowd. Her gaze alone scared off some of those who stayed to watch. Then, her aura burnt itself out and guards and soldiers tackled her.

"Yang! Wait!" Ruby grimaced as she got up and ran over, holding her arm at a weird angle.

Cinder blocked her path. "It seems another trial is necessary… a witch trial." She turned to Yang. "It's clear who you are now."

Yang felt the stone road grind into her face, but she was numb to the pain. No one ever survived a witch trial. It was as good as being sentenced to death.

"But, she was just trying to save me!"

"Oh, Little Rose… That doesn't change who your sister is."

Ruby and her friends watched, stunned and helpless as Yang was dragged away.

"I'm not a witch…" Though who would listen to Yang now? After failing to break loose from the guards, she was thrown into a horse-drawn cage and driven towards the castle. She couldn't keep her eyes open from the exhaustion… Her vision blurred and she fell to the bottom of the cage. "Ruby… I'm sorry."

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **This chapter is pretty frickin' bipolar if you ask me. Great feels from Team Cinnamon Roll followed up by that craaazy trial.

Questions? I'll answer! Reviews? You're a beaut!

**NEXT:** The Girl in the Forest II


	15. The Girl in the Forest II

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Girl in the Forest II)

Ruby sat unhappily on a bed in the castle infirmary. It was sickening to think Yang was somewhere else in the building being mistreated while she was being patched up. Weiss sat nearby as ordered by Queen Cinder just in case another "incident" were to happen. Actually, Cinder had ordered the whole scene. After the trial, she gifted Ruby medical care the she couldn't afford even with rent money, and official protection to prevent further attempts on her life from ending up like the last.

Ruby had expected Weiss to say something about how she was right, but it never happened. Even now, there was yet to be a word said between them. That was almost worse than the alternative. "Aren't you going to say anything?" she asked a little bitterly.

"I think everything's clear enough."

"No, it's not clear!" Ruby exploded. "I don't understand anything! Why didn't she… why didn't she tell me?"

Weiss looked at her funnily. "Your sister is a witch in line with the White Fang. What else is there to understand? Whether she told you or not doesn't matter. The fact remains that she is a criminal."

Ruby stared at her splint and sling. Even after all that, she couldn't believe her sister had anything to do with the White Fang… As for the witch part… it was hard to come up with another explanation based on what had just happened, but it didn't feel right. "She protected me from the White Fang… and now she's…"

Weiss studied at her for a while and sighed. "Look, I understand that you place a lot of trust in your sister, but that is no excuse to deny the truth. As an heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, I am aware my father's branch operates in a… moral gray area. I may not be proud of it, but I still have to accept it."

"I won't accept something that isn't true."

"Fine," Weiss scowled.

They sat in silence for a little while longer as Ruby mulled over everything in her head. It was then she realized her sister had tried to tell her everything.

"_You know how I said I went to see a friend and get better? Well, I did, but… But there's some stuff I didn't mention before about the trip."_

What if she had heard Yang out? Yang had an easy time explaining everything except for that second trip to see her friend. Ruby concluded that that must have been the cause of… well, the events earlier in the day.

If she thought about everything in this light, it all made sense. Yang wasn't in the White Fang, she was being targeted by them… but that still didn't explain the mask and the dagger.

_"It must have been a set-up!"_

And, if it was? Who would want to set her up and why? Ruby still didn't have all the answers… She would just have to go to Forever Fall herself. Standing up rather abruptly, she walked towards the door and Weiss got up to follow. "Where are you going?"

"I'm your bodyguard, you dunce!"

Ruby frowned. She didn't want Weiss coming with her… for obvious reasons. "I don't need one."

"Say that to your broken arm!"

"I don't need one," she repeated.

"You don't get it, do you?" Weiss seethed.

Ruby rolled her eyes and walked up to her. "No, you're the one who doesn't get it! You're the only one!" Then, she stormed out and slammed the door in her face. Ruby had gone maybe five steps when it opened again.

"Ugh, you never make things easy."

She picked up her pace. "Go away!"

Weiss matched her speed. "I'm not going away. The queen has ordered me to protect you, so I will!"

Ruby wheeled on her. "Oh, really? Because all this time I've protected you."

Weiss stopped. "Well, maybe I'm returning the favor."

Ruby narrowed her eyes. Now she wanted to be personable? "You've done enough!" Yang was scheduled for a witch trial because of her!

"Ruby Rose, get back here this instant!"

Ruby ran towards the stables instead, Weiss pursuing. Opening the gate to Bumblebee's pen, Ruby led the horse out and kept running. There was a stone wall near the stables to separate the road from buildings. She climbed it and jumped onto the horse. "Go!" And so, she galloped out of the kingdom, gritting her teeth through the pain and discomfort of riding with a broken arm and with just a blanket separating her from the horse's back.

Unfortunately, Weiss wasn't to be lost so easily. She came riding the stable master's horse. Seeing no end, Ruby thought quickly and devised a plan. She slowed down considerably and from one of the compartments on her belt, she took a vial of pig's blood and removed the cork from it with her teeth. Then, she poured the liquid into a different compartment and threw the glass away. She could feel the blood soaking through her clothing, but it was the best option at this point.

As the Weiss caught up to her, Ruby took out the damp spell sheet—she always kept a few on her just in case— and threw it at the stable master's horse.

"Howl!"

The paper blew Weiss clean off her horse. She screamed in surprise before she hit the ground. Ruby didn't wait around for her to recover. She and Bumblebee fled the scene, rocketing past a few stunned guards. At this rate, they didn't have a hope of catching her.

When Ruby reached Forever Fall, she hurried towards where she figured the center of the forest might be. When she had gone far enough, she slowed and began to search. There was something in the distance that caught her attention. She didn't know if it was more mist or something else, but a thin trail of smoke seemed to be rising higher than the rest of the pale cloud blanketing the red forest. Ruby rode towards it.

/-/-/-/

When Sun heard the outcome of Yang's trial, his heart sank. He didn't want to have to deliver Ember Celica under the worst-case scenario… but he didn't have a choice in the matter. The least he could do was explain aura to Ruby… maybe he and Neptune could even do something about the impending witch trial. The date hadn't been set yet. All this in mind, he made his way towards Rose's Runes. He'd seen the shop before, but there wasn't any point to him going in before now.

Near the front door, a grumpy guard captain was waiting outside on the front steps. There was blood spattered on her white uniform. The sight alone made Sun pull his cloak's hood further down, turn right back around, and leave. He'd have to come back later.

/-/-/-/

Blake put down her finished book and added another log to the fire. The novel's ending was one of the reasons why it was never popular. Whereas the overall tone of the novel had been happy, the ending resulted in the protagonist's untimely death when he sacrificed himself for his friends and family. It was hardly an expected ending and turned the book into something with fearsome cynicism, but Blake decided it was actually kind of beautiful… perhaps it spoke of a tragedy she wished was her own instead of the life she was living now. Would it have been better to die for the betterment of her race than to be hiding here, not truly even living? She wondered melancholically if in her lifetime she'd done anything but survive.

Well, perhaps recently she had. Her mind went to Yang; she'd truly enjoyed herself with her—actually felt the happiness her novels spoke of… Blake thought Yang returning "soon." Would it be too much to ask for that to be fulfilled now? As if to fulfill her wish, she heard the sound of someone approaching on horseback outside.

She got up and went to the door, waiting for the knock before opening it. It was surprising to see not Yang on the other side, but a younger girl in a red cloak. Blake was puzzled and studied her visitor, her hand subconsciously going for Gambol Shroud. Something seemed familiar about her but she couldn't quite place it.

"Hello? I, um… I think you might know my sister?"

Then, it clicked. Yang had shown her a picture of this girl in her sketchbook. Blake's hand dropped back to her side. "Ruby."

Silver eyes looked out in wonder from under the hood. "You know my name?"

"I also know your sister."

"So, you do know Yang! Great, because I was kind of running out of places to look and—hey… You're in my sister's sketchbook!" Blake hoped she hadn't seen the most recent sketches. Her talent under the influence wasn't something she wanted to have showcased. "Nice to finally meet you..."

"Blake."

"Blake," Ruby finished, mulling over the name. "Well, I'm Ruby!" She laughed awkwardly. "But, I guess you already knew that. Mind if I come inside?"

Realizing they were still standing at the door, Blake led Ruby into her home.

Ruby limped towards a chair. "Ow, ow, ow…" she whispered quietly. Pinning back her cloak, she revealed a sight that had Blake staring in shock. A splint and sling held her right arm while a deep crimson stained it all from an area starting at her belt. How could she be so jovial yet sport such a grievous injury? Ruby caught her staring. "What's up? Oh…" She sat down at Blake's table, face scrunching up in pain, and explained, "It's pig's blood. I single-handedly took out a guard captain on my way here and things got a little messy." Riding all the way to Forever Fall with a broken arm… the upbeat attitude… the puns—even if they were unintentional… This was definitely Yang's sister.

"Why are you here, Ruby?"

Ruby's face fell instantly. "I came here for answers. You see, Yang's been arrested."

"W—What?"

"And she kind of took out a White Fang member with a bunch of fire and now she's scheduled for a witch trial…"

"But… the White Fang was wiped out!"

"That's what I thought, too, but…" Ruby pointed to her broken arm. "Anyways, that's why I came to see you. To get answers. I don't understand it at all… Yang can't be a witch… right?"

Blake was quiet for a long time. The White Fang had been resurrected and Yang had used her aura to protect Ruby from them, being deemed a witch because of it… A storm of emotions welled inside her.

The White Fang was back. The organization she fled from. She thought it was all over… how naive could she have possibly been? And Yang… She'd used her aura—aura Blake had given her—against them for Ruby and now… Blake had seen witch trials before. Aura users Burned, Frozen, Bolted, Scattered… She drew in a shaky breath in the wake of it all. No way. Not Yang. She couldn't let Yang meet the same fate.

Exhaling in much the same manner as she inhaled, she explained aura to Ruby.

"So, it's not magic, but something within us all?"

"That's right."

"You gave it to Yang because she was about to die... Well, all we have to do is explain that to the queen, right?"

Blake looked at her apologetically. "Unfortunately, it's not that easy."

"Why not?"

"Because the original definition of magic… is aura itself."

"Huh? But, you just said it wasn't magic!"

"That's by today's standards. After the Great War, aura was actually thought to be evil. The definition started to change as time went on. Any time aura is explained, people go back to the original definition of magic, meaning most attempt are futile."

"Well… Yang and I believed you. Maybe other people will, too."

"I hope you're right…" Blake said.

"So, how does it all work?"

Blake at Ruby's splint. "Maybe it's best if I show you."

"You mean… you're going to give me aura?"

"Do you want it?"

Ruby squealed in delight. "That sounds so cool! To be able to cast Dust without pig's blood would be awesome!" Blake questioned Ruby's reasoning for wanting aura, but if there were ever a time for her to get it, it would be now on account of her injury.

Calling out her aura, Blake placed one hand on the girl's chest and another behind her head. "Release." At that moment, hundreds of red rose petals exploded from Ruby. It was extremely similar to the trees of Forever Fall; an indirect wind aura. The petals danced about the table as if a gentle breeze was stirring them.

"Wow," Ruby breathed. "It's so pretty…"

As the energy stabilized, Blake took her hands away, tired out from the experience.

After a minute, Ruby took off her splint and flexed her arm. "It's like nothing even happened! I could do anything with this… I'm invincible!" She laughed borderline maniacally, making Blake feel like she should explain further before somebody got hurt beyond repair.

"The initial wave of energy is always the strongest. After this, everything heals slower."

"Oh. But, at least now I don't need to worry about accidentally burning myself when I'm crafting runes. Thanks, Blake. Just so you know, I don't think aura's a bad thing."

Blake smiled at that. It was easy to see why Yang was so fond of Ruby. Her innocence and openness made her easy to like. "Good because now that I've unlocked it, there's no going back."

"I don't think I'll ever want to..." Ruby furrowed her brow. "I just wish more people knew about it. I wish Yang didn't have to go through this… but I think we can still save her. All my life, Yang's been protecting me. This time, I'll be the one protecting her." She clenched her fists. "Blake, I know you don't like the city, but will you come with me back to Vale? At least until Yang comes home?"

Blake didn't have much to contemplate. She was going to help Yang no matter what. It was touching how determined Ruby was, though. "Of course."

"Great!"

After this, Blake taught her how to deactivate her aura and packed for Vale. "You should wear the splint back into town."

"Why?" Ruby asked. She thought about it for a second. "Ohhh, right. I get it now. Then no one will know I've healed... I knew that. Good thinking, Blake!"

"Thanks," Blake said, amused.

As they walked towards Bumblebee, Ruby became lost in thought. "You said any living thing could have aura, right?"

"Yes, I did. Why?"

"Wouldn't it be cool if Bumblebee had it?"

"If you want a flaming horse terrorizing Vale."

/-/-/-/

Adam was curious about the "witch" in the dungeon. How did a human get their hands on aura? She'd had some practice with it, too. Of course, it wasn't even close to Adam's level of skill, but it was clear she knew at least a little bit of what she was doing.

Humans being humans, the guards were doing some strange ritual with her right now. Solitary confinement and starving or something. Completely stupid and frustrating since Adam wanted his answers now. Instead, he went for the next best thing and scoped out Yang's items. It was clear that Ruby didn't know about aura so pursuing that lead was useless.

Under her name in the room near the containment corner, he found Yang's bag. Inside, there was a comb, a pouch of money, a journal of some kind, and a change of clothes among other things. Frowning, he looked at the journal and was surprised to find it a sketchbook instead.

He was about to give up the search through the pages, but less than twenty pages from the end, he froze. There were two pages of drawings that caught his attention. One of a misted forest full of trees and another with sketches of a girl with a bow coupled with a sharp gaze.

It was her. It had to be. There was no one else it could be, but she was supposed to be dead. Blake Belladonna was supposed to have died six months ago with the original White Fang… yet here she was in an adventurer's sketchbook.

The pages after that were full of strange scribbles he didn't understand, but the last one confirmed everything. There was a drawing of Yang herself in what was definitely Blake's hand.

_"Well, I met her in Forever Fall during a quest before the Demonstration."_

He had to find her. To see her again. Without bothering to tell anyone, he left on the fastest royal steed to Forever Fall.

It felt like ages, but he finally made it to a small home near the center of the red forest. He didn't bother to knock, either, and burst into the one-room house. "Blake!" It was empty… but it was definitely where she lived. Books, smoked fish—everything about it. He would have waited for her to come home, but he could tell she wouldn't. It looked like she had left in a hurry.

Searching the home, he finally found what he was looking for: direction. An empty bottle glinted in the moonlight coming in through the window. He read the hand-written label.

_Nora's Sweet Ale—Finest in Vale!_

_To Yang:_

_ Thanks for the help!_

_-Nora_

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: ***Eyebrow waggle*

**NEXT: **Time, the Great Destroyer


	16. Time, the Great Destroyer

~~AAAND START!~~ (Time, the Great Destroyer)

It was a long shot for Adam to come here, but it was the only arrow in the quiver and the prize was too great to pass up. He sat in a corner of the The Valkyrie's Drinking Grounds, hoping for another clue. True, the ale could have just been a gift and Blake could have gone somewhere else… but in light of everything that had happened, he doubted that.

He'd been here since morning nursing the same mug of ale and looking out from the brim of his hat. Nora, the owner, didn't pay him much mind. At this hour, he was one of the more behaved customers in the tavern. For all she knew, he could have been just another heartbroken fixture coming in for a change of scenery.

Adam had left his mask in his quarters. That and the hat made certain that no one gave him more than a once-over. He'd come back tomorrow if he must, but with who just walked into the tavern, he knew it wouldn't be necessary. Ruby Rose came in; glancing about as if she were checking the shadows for attackers. Adam didn't need to do that a second time to get what he wanted. She sat near him, waiting patiently for Nora to finish making rounds.

Nora went to join her as soon as she'd done so. "What's up, Ruby?" she asked amicably.

"You haven't seen Weiss anywhere, have you?"

"Nope! Haven't seen her. Why?"

Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. "She's supposed to be my bodyguard, but I Howled her off a horse yesterday so I'm pretty sure the next time she sees me, she's not going to be happy."

"Wow… The last time I accidentally knocked Renny off a horse, he was mad for a whole fifteen minutes!"

"I don't think Weiss is that quick to forgive…"

"Probably not. Renny's the best! So, why'd you do it?"

"Well…" Ruby lowered her voice, but Adam could still pick it up with his superior hearing. "I went to see Yang's friend in Forever Fall."

Nora's eyes went wide. "Really? What was she like? Was she a witch? Could she teleport? Did she have red eyes and a black cat?"

Adam almost laughed. Blake was the black cat.

"No, she was really nice, actually. She even came back with me to Vale… and, I'm pretty sure witches don't exist, but don't they usually have ravens?"

"Nope! It's cats! And of course they exist, silly! How else would you be able to make a Dust spell come out of your hands? Unless… you had these special gloves…"

"That's like calling Yang a witch," Ruby stated near defensively.

"But, she's not a witch, she's Yang!" Nora gasped. "Maybe she has those special gloves!"

"I know how she was able to do it."

"Ooh, show me!"

Ruby glanced around. "I shouldn't do it here. After the trial, we'll get everyone together and talk about it."

"Okay! So, when do I get to see this friend of yours?"

"After the trial," Ruby repeated. "Her name's Blake."

"Blake… sounds mysterious!"

"She kind of is." Ruby got up. "Thanks for listening, Nora. Tell everyone I said hi."

Nora saluted. "You can count on me!"

Adam had heard all he needed to hear. Shortly after Ruby left, he paid and followed suit. It was safe to assume Blake had told Ruby about aura. It was also safe to assume Ruby had hers unlocked. What he knew, though, was that Blake was here in Vale and she was staying at Rose's Runes.

Had the buildings in the city always been so far away from each other? When he reached the shop, he was about to walk in, but that didn't seem to be a good idea. Instead, he waited nearby and watched the entrance. His patience was once again rewarded when a familiar figure walked out of it.

Adam followed her to a bookstore. She bought a few novels and left. On her way back, she entered an area with few people. He took the chance. Removing his hat, he moved directly into her path.

After six months, there was only one thing he could say to her. "You're wearing a bow."

Golden eyes became saucers. She stopped, lowering her book to look at him. They stood there for what felt like a few seconds, but it could have been longer. People passed by… a dog barked… Finally, Blake spoke. "Adam."

/-/-/-/

They sat on the roof of a building near the town square, not paying attention to the city below. Blake couldn't believe her eyes. Was she dreaming? Adam was supposed to be dead. "Six months ago," he started, snapping her out of her trance. "I watched a burning beam fall onto you when the headquarters was destroyed."

She swallowed. "It was a clone." Searching his eyes, the things she didn't have the courage to say six months ago came spilling out. "I ran away. I couldn't do it anymore, Adam. I saw the opportunity and I ran."

He furrowed his brows at her. When had he started frowning so deeply? "You ran…"

"Killing innocents, assassinating religious figures and stealing Dust… Adam, that's not what the White Fang was supposed to be! How could we get equality from inspiring fear and anger?"

"Isn't that what equality is? Equal fear, equal anger, and in the end, equal peace when our needs have been met."

Blake tried to make him understand. "We were misguided. Over the last few weeks, I experienced what the peace we sought was… It was fun. Adam… do you even remember what fun is? I had forgotten."

"That adventurer?"

"Yes."

"Does she know you're a Faunus?"

The silence spoke for itself.

"Things like that aren't possible for us, Blake."

"No, you're wrong. They are! We thought no one could understand aura, we thought no one would feel sympathy—empathy for the Faunus, but I've meet people who have. Humans who have!"

"That's one in a thousand."

"It's still better than zero! You've said it before yourself. You start with one. Don't you remember what it was like in the beginning? Before we became the monsters they think we are? We could have changed things if we—"

"No. It's futile. The humans were only using us to subdue the Black Fang. The White Fang is back. Things are changing."

"Adam, this is no different from the Black Fang! Using violence to force humans to listen… Change doesn't happen unless the people want it to happen!"

"We make them need change to happen. Cinder herself promised the equality we desire."

She wasn't getting through. "I thought you died, too…"

"Anger kept me alive." He shifted. "I mourned you, Blake. I traveled to Menagerie and trained my aura. The traditional Faunus taught me the ways of the ancients… I vowed to get revenge on Vale. I want the equality you want. Join me again and we can get it together."

Blake felt her heart ache as her eyes met his… there was none of the light that used to be there. "Adam… I'm sorry."

"You wont?"

"I can't."

Suddenly, his demeanor changed. "You'd choose herover your whole race?"

"That's not it."

"Than what is it?" he growled.

"I'm breaking the cycle, Adam…" She got up and started to leave. "Goodbye."

"Blake!"

She froze.

"You'll regret this."

A gust of chilly air blew away the tense silence between them. She moved on, refusing to look back. She already did regret it… regretted leaving him. But, she had to do what was right. She'd seen a glimpse of the end she sought and she wouldn't let it go.

_"Yang? I'm… glad we became friends."_

_ "Me too."_

/-/-/-/

Adam didn't understand. He didn't understand how one person could change someone so much. He pulled on his mask and mantle and crashed into the throne room.

Queen Cinder was there on her throne as always. "What do you need, Adam?"

"Yang. Grant me access to her room."

"And what do you intend to do?"

He didn't answer her.

Getting the message, Cinder laughed. "Very well. You can have it… try to keep her alive, hmm?"

Adam made no promises. As soon as the castle guard forked over a key, his was on his way. Before he could enter the room, someone blocked his path. "You again…"

Neopolitan smiled and curtsied.

"Move," he commanded.

She stepped aside and he unlocked the door, flinging it open. It wasn't surprising when she followed him inside. She only showed up when she wanted something or was given an order. It could have been both that brought her here now.

"Stay out of this."

She winked and went to stand against the wall.

That out of the way, he walked over to Yang and unlocked the chains confining her to the center of the circular room. She rubbed her wrists, alert and trying to see in the dark. "Here to let me out?" To help her see, he activated his aura, feeling it gravitate towards her in anticipation. At the sight, she instantly activated hers and glowered at him. "What do you want?"

"Fight me."

She blinked before grinning. "You didn't even have to ask." She cracked her fists. "This number's for breaking Ruby's arm and putting me in here," Yang announced.

Adrenaline rising, Adam reminded himself he was only here to play and lowered into a fighting stance. He put his hand on the hilt of his sword, counted to three, then rushed. He wasn't going easy on her per say, but he was definitely holding back. He would determine her worth here and now.

He knew how to use his aura like another limb. It wasn't just a power-up; it was something to be controlled. His teacher in Menagerie had showed him how to use it and he had perfected the technique. Yang threw a well-aimed punch. It would be a shame to dodge it, so he blocked it with his aura and cut her down with his blade.

The process was repeated until she activated her semblance. So far, this was the only thing special about her. The strength of it was enough to rival the full power of his abilities blow-for-blow… if only she could keep it up. Frowning, he realized he was feeling disappointed and upped his speed to cut her down again.

Yang stood on shaky legs, but leaped forward faster than ever. No matter what happened to her, she got stronger. She never gave up, either. Adam decided this must be it. This must be what made her capable of everything… and he would crush it, though the time was not now. Neopolitan eyeing him from the shadows reminded him of Cinder's demand. He would make his demands clear, too.

Eventually, Yang's aura burned out and he clubbed her upside the head, leaving her bleeding on the floor of the prison room. The guard could clean up the mess.

On his way out, he saw Neopolitan glance twice at Yang as her flames sputtered weakly back to life to heal her. He scoffed.

/-/-/-/

As always, Ruby was on Weiss's last nerve. After the incident with the stable master's horse, Weiss had yet to see her at all. And she knew Ruby was home, too! Her sector had seen her around. The only good thing was that the idiot wasn't dead yet. It would be a stain on Weiss's record and it isn't like she deserved to die.

Weiss went up the stairs in her region's outpost, searching for her desk underneath all the paperwork she had to complete. Finding it, she took a seat. Ever since the White Fang took out a considerable amount of the leading officers around the outpost, Weiss had been about the only one doing anything. She wasn't really close to anyone and as such didn't feel the need to grieve so deeply as the other surviving guards. She thought about them often enough… but it didn't interfere with her ability to work.

The new region captain was less experienced in the area as a whole than their lowest ranking member. She suspected he was just there until someone better was available to replace him. As if her thoughts had summoned him, the man appeared. "Captain Schnee, the commander calls for you in the headquarters." She was out of the stuffy building as quickly as she could manage. After all, she already had an inkling as to why she was needed.

Arriving at the Ozpin's office, she took a deep breath and knocked. She had already thought through a variety of different ways the conversation could go and felt as prepared as possible. "Commander Ozpin? This is Captain Weiss Schnee to see you."

"Come in," he said from beyond the thick wood.

She waited the customary two seconds before entering.

"Have a seat, Captain."

She did as requested.

She'd expected something about Ruby to come up, but Ozpin went to another matter. "You've demonstrated considerable work ethic lately." Of course, she had prepared for that, too.

"Thank you, Commander."

"I understand you were the most involved in capturing Yang Xiao Long, the witch. While I would have preferred the situation to end without incident, you've placed a very dangerous person behind bars. That's not an easy thing to do."

She thanked him again.

"How is Ruby Rose fairing?"

"She is…" A lot of words came to mind that weren't entirely flattering, but she finished the sentence in a generic way. "Coping well." A little too well in Weiss's opinion. Her right shoulder still protested at the slightest movement.

"That's good to hear… I'll keep this brief. The region captain assigned to you was only a placeholder until a better-suited person for the position was found. He was aware of this as well." Ozpin slid a package towards her and took a sip of coffee. "I believe you, Captain Schnee, are the person we are looking for. I would like to offer you the rank of region captain for region four."

All this falling within her expectations, she bowed her head and took the package. "I gladly accept, Commander." Inside were the official papers of recognition and a new cloth of rank.

"Wonderful. As soon as you return to the outpost, you may relieve the standing region captain of his duties. I trust you will continue to be an asset to the guard."

"I will do my best to uphold the dignity of my region, Sir." That said, Weiss left. She felt at least two feet taller on the way out. As she approached the region outpost, she realized she still had yet to send a reply letter to her sister… An official request for a branch of the company was also due.

Back at the region outpost, she had everything taken care of quickly and began looking over the region's status. A new direct superior would be necessary for Ruby… and the rules for the region were way too lax. She wouldn't let over half the captains be wiped out again.

_I know you have to work to gain a rank or two in Vale's guard._

Winter really had no idea.

/-/-/-/

Cinder smirked at Adam. "So, this your plan?"

"It's not unreasonable."

She crossed her legs. "That is for me to decide."

"I've already told you how it benefits your aims… what else is there to consider?"

The queen chuckled at what must have been an inside joke. "The wrath of family is not to be taken lightly."

"She'll be dead either way," he reminded.

"And if I allow you to do this?"

"I'll make it worth your while."

"If you fail… there will be severe punishment," she scrutinized.

"I won't fail." He turned on his heel and walked to the east wing of the castle. Inside the lavishly decorated White Fang headquarters, Roman was in the middle of putting out a cigar as Neopolitan sat at the table. The cigar's smoke burned his lungs, irking him.

"Hey, kid," Roman greeted.

He didn't pay any mind to the orange-haired pawn and instead walked right up to Nepolitan. "How strong can you make your illusions?"

"Or don't say hi. Either way."

Neopolitan looked at Roman and smiled lightly as if to console him.

"I need an answer," Adam demanded.

Turning back to him, she gave him a skeptical look and snapped her fingers. The room shattered to pieces, revealing her sitting in the middle of a bare floor. Near the back, the real Roman sat on a wooden chair, looking mildly unimpressed.

"Okay, so you fooled him. Can I have them put the room back together now?" Roman asked. "I only agreed to this because I didn't think we'd be waiting for three hours. Do you know how uncomfortable it is to watch a copy of yourself smoke?"

She smiled contently and nodded when she noted that Adam was momentarily stunned.

"Ugh, finally. This chair has terrible back support. Next time, let's just check to see when he'll be back."

Neopolitan shrugged in agreement. She'd proven her point.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **Weiss… just… just… *sigh* nevermind. Neo makes up for it.

**NEXT: **Shoved into the Middle


	17. Shoved into the Middle

~~AAAND START!~~ (Shoved into the Middle)

Ruby absentmindedly cleaned a tool as she watched Blake read. She seemed especially into her books since yesterday. Any conversation was short, and though the atmosphere wasn't uncomfortable… there was this unsettling feeling around her that made Ruby feel like she should say something. And so, with less thought than she would have liked, she did just that. "What's it about?"

Blake removed herself from her novel, startled. "Huh?"

"Your book. Does it have a name?" Ruby continued, rolling with the awkward start.

"Well… i—it's about a man with two souls, each fighting for control over his body."

"Huh…" That wasn't a title Ruby would have picked up herself. "I love books. Yang used to read to me every night before bed. When she became an adventurer, I was so that sad she wouldn't be there to read for me... She ended up keeping a sketchbook to tell me stories about her travels when she came home." Ruby laughed. "Sometimes, I feel like she made a few details up, though."

Blake laughed along with her. "That sounds a lot like Yang."

"Yeah, she… she's a really great sister," Ruby chuckled somberly. "This is… usually the part where she'd say something embarrassing and crush me in a hug…"

Sensing the change in atmosphere, Blake closed her book. "She'll probably come home and tell us about everything like she went for a day trip and got sidetracked."

"Yeah, that's totally something she'd do. Did she tell you about the time she came home a whole month late because she fell into a cavern?"

Blake smiled, obviously familiar with the story. "Then spent three weeks trying to find the perfect Dust crystal to bring back?" They both laughed.

"I actually still have that crystal in my windowsill. It's fire Dust, so it glows really bright in the sunset."

"That sounds pretty."

"It is." They shared a look. "So, what other stories has my sister told you about?"

"Well…" They talked for quite some time before an irritated pounding shook door.

"Ruby Rose, open this door! I know you're in there!"

"Oh, crap…"

"What?" Blake asked warily.

"Nothing, it's just Weiss."

"Isn't she the girl you exploded with a dagger?"

"Yeah, that's her."

"Ruby!" Weiss screeched.

Blake eyed the door. "Shouldn't you get that?"

"Maybe if I wait long enough, she'll go away," Ruby said optimistically.

"I am not going away no matter how long this takes!" Weiss asserted.

Ruby groaned. "It was worth a try."

"I'll head upstairs," Blake said. The last thing she wanted was for this guard captain to interrogate her. She was glad Ruby kept the curtains closed this morning so Weiss couldn't see in from outside.

"Okay," Ruby nodded. "This shouldn't take long... hopefully."

/-/-/-/

Blake listened to their conversation from behind the door to the house.

"Hi, Ma'am," Ruby stated nervously.

"Hello, Ruby. I'm happy you finally decided to get this over with. I came to tell you this is the last time we'll see each other," Weiss announced.

"Huh?"

"I've been promoted to region captain after the events at your sister's trial."

Blake still hadn't heard all the details about that and leaned closer to the door.

"What did you do?" Ruby questioned.

"I arrested her!" Weiss scoffed.

"Is that it?"

"Of course that's not it!" Weiss walked further into the shop and sat down with a flounce. "I also do an exceptional job with my work."

"So... you did your job correctly?"

"In comparison to the rest of my region, it's quite a feat. That will change now that I'm region captain, though," Weiss declared.

"Good luck with that," Ruby half-teased. "Who's going to supervise me now?"

"I'll have them sent over with the next order."

"Okay."

Weiss cleared her throat. "I know we didn't exactly get along all this time, but because of my promotion, I'm willing to forgive your previous actions. Especially from two days ago."

"Gee, thanks," Ruby said flatly.

"You're welcome. Also, to help supplement for the lost income, I might be able organize a raise in your pay."

"What do you mean?"

Weiss stared at her. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you're still in denial? In case you forgot, your sister's a witch on trial. You don't expect her to pay your bills, do you?"

"Yang's not a witch, Ma'am."

"I don't know why I even bother sometimes," Weiss sighed. "It's like you think your sister is related to the Goddess or something."

"I do not!"

"Well, obviously you do! Your sister is a criminal and you're a complete idiot for placing so much faith in her."

"Ugh, not this again. My sister's done nothing wrong!"

"If you still believe that, maybe the White Fang should have broken both of your arms!"

"That wasn't her fault!"

"You realize you are defending a member of an organization that hates humanity, don't you? The White Fang is pure evil!" After every sentence, the voices got closer to the house.

Listening to their bickering, Blake began to feel irritation settling in. Weiss sounded more like an ignorant little brat the more she spoke.

"Your sister is a degenerate," she sneered. "An adventurer who can't keep a single job. Does she even believe in the Goddess?"

"She—"

"And she turned to magic because she can't even survive like a normal human being! She sided with animals because she—"

"You don't even know her!" Ruby was on the verge of tears. "Yang's a better person than you'll ever be!"

This was the type of person Blake hated the most. Discriminatory, judgmental people who drove others to the breaking point.

"I know enough," Weiss stated. "You know what? Your sister deserves to die."

If Blake felt like she had just been slapped twice across the face, she couldn't even begin to imagine what Ruby felt. Anger rose within her. Enough was enough. Before she could open the door, she heard a gasp from the other side.

"What is that?" Weiss demanded.

"Weiss, I've tried really hard to talk to you, but I think I should just show you," Ruby said.

"That's… magic! You're in line with the White Fang too!"

"No, it's not magic. It's aura. Magic doesn't exist."

Weiss unsheathed her sword. Realizing what was happening, Blake threw open the door and tackled Ruby out of the way just as Weiss shouted, "Zero!" Jagged spikes of ice formed in a line and crashed into the wall, breaking into and destroying the staircase. Blake got up slowly, maintaining eye contact with the surprised and nervous guard. "Who are you?"

She could have answered, but it seems like Weiss already knew.

"You were in Yang's sketchbook…"

"We're friends." Blake unsheathed Gambol Shroud and activated her aura.

"Blake…" Ruby was about stand, but Blake held up a hand.

"Prepare yourself," she called as she ran forward. This wasn't like a spar—she would take Weiss out… and she'd do it quickly.

To her credit, Weiss was a skilled swordsman and seemed to have a general idea of the elements. She blocked a quick diagonal hack and returned it with precision and flourish. "Freeze!" A perfectly timed Dust spell froze the floor and would have caught Blake had she not used her semblance…

Blake appeared behind Weiss and put a hand to her neck, aura effectively locking up her muscles. Weiss choked out a pained whimper and Blake forced her face-first onto the workbench. She held Gambol Shroud's blade to her jugular.

Weiss's breath was short and rapid, and she attempted to move out of the hold despite the lack of control over her body. Blood dripped onto the table as her soft flesh met with the blade. Blake could have finished it then and there… six months ago, she would have.

"Weiss!" Ruby got up and ran to the workbench. "Blake, don't do this!" Ruby put a hand on Blake's shoulder, but drew back with a quick gasp when she was shocked.

Blake stopped the offensiveness of her aura yet still kept her grip on Weiss firm.

"Let go of me! Do you have any idea of who I am?" Weiss squawked.

"You're in no position to make demands." Blake pulled Weiss up from the table and sheathed Gambol Shroud. Then, putting one hand to the her chest and another to the back of her head, she growled, "Release." White frost formed on Blake's hands. It was cold and offensive from the moment it appeared. There was no visible effect on Weiss… but it was definitely a direct form of ice aura.

Blake drew away and Weiss picked up her blade again in that moment. However, when she saw the thick layer of frost forming on the hilt, she dropped it in surprise. It clattered to the floor, still frosted. "Wh...What did you do to me?"

Ruby stepped in front of her. "That's your aura, Weiss."

/-/-/-/

Neptune was on edge as he sat through the meeting about the witch trial. Sun and the guards had told him everything about what happened at the original trial. Yang didn't deserve any of this.

"She's a fire witch, right? That means she'd have to be Scattered…"

"Right, we know that, but when will the trial be?"

Queen Cinder broke into the council's conversation. "How about in three days?" She turned to Neptune. "What do you think?" His attendance was mandatory.

"Uh…" Neptune thought fast. Three days wasn't nearly enough time to organize a plan to get Yang out of there. "I'd actually prefer a week?"

The council agreed. "We'll be able to get a larger audience with more time. I could call some representatives from the other kingdoms to see it first hand…"

Cinder silenced them. "Four days. Make sure she's kept alive until then."

"I'll have the guard give her water."

After the meeting, Neptune changed his clothes and walked into town. He sat down on a bench and waited. A good half hour later, Sun sat next him. "Man, what took you so long?"

"I had to make sure no one saw me. This place is crawling with patrols!"

"Sun, I'm the prince and I still showed up first!"

"Well, it's no surprise that they can't recognize you without the crown and stuffy suit thing."

"What am I supposed to say to that?"

"I dunno." Sun casually looked around the crowded streets for potential danger. Finding none, he continued. "What'd they say?"

"It was going to be in three days, but I was able to get us four."

"That's it?"

"Dude, everyone thinks she's a witch. I'm amazed my stepmom even gave us one extra day." Neptune looked around too. "What do you think we should do?"

"I dunno, I was really banking on you getting her out of it, but since that didn't happen… Maybe I'll make a distraction and you help her escape."

"That's the most generic plan…"

"You're the 'intellectual' here. You think of something!"

"I don't know I'd need some time to get details about the trial."

"Well, if it comes down to it, we'll just have to wing it."

"I really hope it doesn't, though."

"Why not? I'm a thief and you're a prince with a double life. We'd be great at it!"

Neptune laughed. "Meet me here in two days, I'll see what I can learn."

/-/-/-/

Weiss stared at her shaking hands. Her clothing was beginning to frost over as well. Staggering back onto the workbench, a sense of horror washed over her.

"Aura exists in the balance of the world," Blake explained. "Any living thing can have it."

"What…" Weiss swallowed, breaking out into a cold sweat.

"Aura comes in the four different elements. Mine is lightning, Ruby's is wind, Yang's is fire, and yours is—"

"Ice," she finished. All she knew was that there was ice forming everywhere she touched and she couldn't stop it. She was chilly.

"Blake, I don't think she's listening." Ruby took hold of one of her hands. She jerked it away. "It's not magic, Weiss. Magic isn't real."

"I don't care what it is!" she snapped. "How do I make it stop?"

Blake spoke quietly to Ruby, who nodded and bolted off. A short time later, she came back with a bucket of ice. She took out a cube. "Imagine this is your aura and smash it—like Burning something Frozen."

Weiss accepted the piece of ice and threw it instantly. Right at Ruby.

"Ow!"

She picked up another from the bucket and threw it at the same target.

"Ow! Hey, stop it!"

Weiss repeated the process, throwing some at Ruby and some at Blake, until they began to block the frozen shards. Then, she threw them on the floor and smashed them underneath her feet. She wished it was her… aura or whatever they called it! She wished she hadn't come here today! She wished she hadn't been so helpless! She wished these people didn't exist!

When the bucket was empty she looked around the room, surprised to find that the things she had covered in frost had miraculously thawed. Weiss dropped the bucket and sat down at the chair behind the workbench, gasping for breath. Ruby peeked over the top of Crescent Rose's folded form to see if the onslaught had ended. It had… for now.

As things were explained to her again, Weiss began to calm down and finally listen. "This is what magic was based on?"

"Yes," Ruby answered.

She glared at the two. "Then you just made me a witch!"

"How else were you going to listen?"

"This changes nothing. Don't think I'm suddenly on your side just because—"

"How can you say that when you have aura, too? Admit that Yang shouldn't be on trial!"

"She should be on trial! Just… not for using magic! I still stand by my statements about the White Fang!"

"She's not in the White Fang," Blake hissed.

"Then explain the mask and dagger!"

"It must have been a setup! Think, Weiss. Was there anything suspicious about how you found them?" Ruby tried to reason.

Weiss crossed her arms. "It doesn't matter how I found them."

"Just think," Blake glared.

Weiss hmphed, but thought about it anyway. She recalled the strange note that somehow made it onto her person. It could have been put into her Lien pouch when her sword belt was in her office, but who would have put it there? She hadn't seen anyone come into the room, either, so that wasn't probable. How had it disappeared, too?

As she went through the events just before she found the items, she remembered something. "Ruby, who left your shop when I came in on the day I found the items?"

"Hm? Oh, that was Emerald. She came in for an order."

"Did she do anything else?"

"Um… Someone lost their wallet outside, so she watched the shop while I helped them look for it. We never found it, though…"

That might explain something if… "What's her full name?"

"Emerald Sustrai." The name struck a cord.

"She's the new head of Intelligence," Weiss recalled.

"And?"

"If Yang was 'set up' she would be the one to do it. They handle everything from spying to reclaiming kingdom items. But that's highly impro—"

"She must have been the one, then!" Ruby decided.

"And why would she do that?"

"I don't know, but Yang said she had a bad feeling about her."

Weiss was incredulous. "So?"

"Yang's never wrong about that stuff."

"Ugh, again with you and your sister."

"The fact is, Yang was set up and Emerald is our only lead," Blake interjected.

"You don't seriously want to pursue this, do you?" Weiss questioned.

Ruby looked at her. "We are totally looking into this."

"What do you mean 'we'?"

Ruby exchanged a look with Blake. "Unless you want to be turned in?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're a 'witch' now, too, Weiss," Ruby said. "If you don't want your own trial, you're going to help us get Yang out of hers."

/-/-/-/

Weiss shut the door to her house then slid down it onto the floor. How had things gotten so out of hand? Being blackmailed into treason… Ruby and Blake were insane! Weiss wouldn't let herself be threatened like this. If it came to her word against Ruby's, it was obvious hers would win.

She would just have to turn them in before they turned her in. Weiss simply needed to think of a way to do it. It was all so irritating! She had gone over with the best of intentions, and now her life was as good as ruined. How could she face her father when she had the same mag—aura the White Fang used? The group that had terrorized her family's company for years!

Feeling her rage peak and morph into frustration, Weiss put her head back against the door and closed her tear-lined eyes. Upon opening them, she scrambled away from where she sat. Her aura had created a pale silhouette of frost that trailed towards her as she backed away from it. "Ah!" she panicked.

It was then she realized that she had no idea how to control this. She could deactivate it, but that was about all she could do. Forcefully slowing her breathing, Weiss watched her aura fade. She needed someone to teach her about this… and that wouldn't be able to happen if all the people available to do so were dead. It physically sickened her to admit this, but…

Weiss was trapped.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN:** OHHHHHHHHH DAAYUMMM!

**NEXT:** A Grave Underestimation


	18. A Grave Underestimation

~~AAAND START!~~ (A Grave Underestimation)

The hunger pangs had passed, so Yang had probably been in prison for about four or five days. Being an adventurer, she was accustomed to being unable to find food, but she couldn't say she'd been in a situation as extraordinary as this. She'd been given six cups of water since the man who broke Ruby's arm had left and when she tried to use her aura, they would open a pipe of some kind easily spanning the width of where she was standing and drench her in water from the ocean. It was a kind of torture to be so thirsty yet unable to drink, and the salt was driving her insane.

Yang was positioned center of the room, having her arms spread out and chained to the walls. After her attempt to strangle and burn a guard with her legs when he got too touchy-feely, she'd had her feet chained to the floor, too. She hadn't seen him again.

The door to the room swung open. She was hoping she would get more water, but a familiar jagged, red flame sprung to life near the wall. By the time he had gotten to her, her was aura activated and she was ready for a fight.

"I'm not here to fight you," he stated gruffly.

Confused, Yang stopped trying to tear herself free from the chains and eyed him suspiciously. "How do you even get in here?"

He didn't answer her.

Yang felt it then. A feeling of impending danger. She started to struggle again as he raised a hand to her forehead. She tried to jerk away, but he gripped her head and forced it in place. Without warning, his aura spiked and all of Yang's thoughts were cut off. A feeling of pure hatred engulfed her, knocked the breath out of her, and rived through her with a single word: **Burn**.

Yang jolted against her chains with a sputtering cough. A splitting headache made her close her eyes. Blood dripped from her nose onto the floor… How could she even begin to process what had just happened? The feeling of being scorned for ever taking a breath on this planet—for ever allowing her heart to beat. For ever doing anything, for ever living a day, for ever caring or hating or feeling at all. For knowing more than the abhorrence, yet nothing at all in comparison to it. The feeling of the hatred of a thousand generations and their thousands of generations of ancestors. It pounded through her with strength greater than anything she'd ever faced and filled her with fear. If her arms hadn't been chained to the walls, she would have fallen to the floor then and there… and he didn't stop at one, he did it again. Over and over.

**Burn**… **Burn**… **Burn**… **Burn**...

All thoughts became tangled emotions, weak in the face of such hatred. She could faintly hear screaming in the distance but couldn't put it together that it was her own. She stopped to vomit, continued to bleed, and either way, she couldn't feel it at all. The only thing there was the hatred. Every fiber of her being attempted to fight the assault, but nothing came of it. She was a leaf that drifted to sea in the midst of a storm. Alone and helpless in the face of such a power…

Yang no longer had a sense of time. She couldn't even guess how long had passed. When it finally stopped, she slumped forward, eyes wide open, seeing nothing but blurred red and an irregularly pulsing gold. She could hear again—more blood dripping onto the floor… a cruel laugh. She dry-heaved. "Are you willing to give up?"

Yang slowly brought her head up to look at him. The question registered. She shook her head no. The hand returned.

Feeling a sense of dread and adrenaline, she bit it. Adam hissed in pain and slapped her with his other hand. She refused to let go. Ripping the bleeding appendage from her jaws, he grabbed her by the hair and continued the torture.

After another undefined amount of time, he asked her again. "Are you willing to give up?" Seeing her answer hadn't changed, he spun on his heel and left with a word that scared her worse than the hatred: "Ruby." As soon as he'd left, the ocean water poured from the ceiling and didn't stop until he returned. She could tell it was him when he entered even if he didn't activate his aura. Something dropped to her feet. He lit a torch and put the light next to it.

Yang screamed in horror at what she saw. A tattered red cloak with two different shades of red. Ruby's cloak. The one her mother had given her. Yang would know it anywhere.

She couldn't believe it… It couldn't be real. The chains that bound her rattled as she shook.

"She put up a fight."

Something landed on top of it, rolling to a stop. A severed… A severed head.

Yang lost it.

Aura burning brighter than ever before, she tore her hands loose from their confines. He smirked and lowered into a fighting stance, hand on the hilt of his sword. By the time she freed her feet as well, he was glowing. With every drop of her strength directed into a single punch, she attacked the murderer. He partially unsheathed his sword and blocked it. All of her power seemed to rush into the blade. She stood, panting and confused. He rose to his full height and rigidly walked over to her.

Adam kicked the torch onto her sister's cloak. Panic pumped through Yang's veins. She couldn't let Ruby burn; it was the only thing she—he grabbed her by the back of the head and forced her to watch the dreadful flames until they went out. She fell to her knees with a choked sob, feeling for the ashes. Among them, she felt his aura spike.

Hatred increased exponentially from the last time shot through her. There were no breaks, no waves, just the feeling. She broke under it.

"Are you willing to give up?"

She felt the ashes beneath her fingertips… looked at the burning red aura… and her spirit mended towards a new goal. Complete and utter revenge and destruction. For the second time, her eyes flashed red and she let the rage consume her. "_Never_!" she roared, rushing him. They fought for an extended period of time. She would strike and he would block. She would strike again.

Growing angrier, she grabbed the blade and threw it aside. He was breathing heavier. Tired. Yang felt nothing but rage. She grabbed him and burned him. She suffocated his flames and seared his flesh, turning it black. Not until it was beyond ash would she stop.

Suddenly, someone stabbed her through the back. She gritted her teeth and continued her attack, skin closing around the sword. Her body was feeling heavier now; her eyelids began to feel like lead. She kept fighting through it.

The hilt of the blade was grabbed and torn outwards through her shoulder. She roared and turned to face it, but the action made her dizzy. Before her flames went out, she caught a glimpse of brown and pink hair, a smirk, and a red-stained estoc. Then, darkness.

Collapsing onto the ground, she felt her own blood pool around her. She'd felt it before, so she'd know. She was dying. It didn't matter—Ruby was dead. It didn't matter so long as he was dead too. She extended a weak hand and felt around her in the darkness, but nothing was there. Yang was alone.

Neopolitan and Adam were nowhere to be found. It mattered now. She couldn't die yet. She couldn't accept her death like this! Her flames came to life again, but they were barely there—wouldn't heal her fast enough. She couldn't die… she couldn't die…

She wouldn't die.

The flames turned black.

/-/-/-/

Blake had been tailing Emerald for days, yet nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Emerald had gone around on business and returned to the castle and that was it. Yang's witch trial was tomorrow and it felt like they'd gotten nowhere.

Thinking about what might happen kept her up at night. If she fell asleep, she could only dream about victims of the witch trials… sometimes they were her comrades from the White Fang, sometimes it was Yang. She could still hear their screams and see the blood.

She wasn't the only one affected negatively. Ruby spaced out a lot and Weiss… was already negative to begin with; however, when Ruby became more melancholic, she stopped yelling as much. Blake was having a hard time telling if that was because there was less to get mad at or if she actually felt a certain level of sympathy.

Blake entered Rose's Runes to see them both hanging around the workbench.

"Welcome back, Blake. Find anything?" Ruby asked hopefully.

"Of course she didn't."

"Be quiet, Weiss!"

"She's right, I didn't," Blake affirmed.

Weiss sniffed.

"Oh… Well, that's okay." Ruby looked anything but. "At least... Did you maybe think of a plan? Weiss and I haven't had any luck."

"Sorry, I just don't know enough about what's going to happen."

"We all know what's going to happen," Weiss blurted.

Blake glared at her.

"It'll be okay. We'll think of something," Ruby smoothed over, ignoring Weiss. "Sometimes, you can't come up with a plan until you're right in the middle of it." That was a sort of religious chant around the house these days.

Blake frowned, only half believing it. "I know…"

/-/-/-/

Sun scratched his head with both hands in frustration, shaking it side to side. "Aw, I can't think of anything! How come security's so tight?" He had met Neptune where they usually met for the past few days.

"If only there were more than two of us…"

"If I could get Ember Celica to her, she might be able to escape."

"Dude, she'd have to go through like five sectors. That's not going to happen."

"Will you be just a little bit optimistic?"

"Sorry, I'm just as stressed as you."

Sun sighed. "It's okay, man."

"I think you're right. We'll just have to wing it."

"Yeah… It'll be okay. We can do this." Even if Sun said that, the nervousness in his gut didn't go away.

/-/-/-/

Weiss watched Ruby climb up the boxes stacked as makeshift stairs to her room. After spending so much time with the her and Blake, she'd learned more than she wanted to about Yang. It was harder and harder to see her as a heartless member of the White Fang… maybe she really wasn't one at all, but the evidence pointed otherwise at this point. Until they could pin guilt on Emerald, Yang was a member of the White Fang who did not deserve Weiss' sympathy.

That being said, it was somehow difficult to watch Blake and Ruby change over the last few days. It made her angry in ways she had a hard time describing. She left Rose's Runes feeling irritated, and even though that wasn't unusual, it still felt different. Halfway home from wrapping things up at the region outpost, she understood why. She wasn't upset at Ruby or Blake; she was upset at the situation. What was upsetting about that, she didn't figure out until she had eaten dinner and changed into her nightgown.

She felt like it shouldn't be happening.

These trials were supposed to happen only if everyone believed without a shadow of a doubt that the defendant was a witch. Weiss had a doubt. She had many. There was so much she didn't understand… and that in itself was upsetting. Just wanting everything to be over with, she blew out her candle and buried herself in her sheets. Before she closed her eyes, she wondered if she was supposed to meet Ruby and Blake before the trial or after it. Was her obligation to help them gone when the trial was over? Would she turn them in now that she knew how to control her aura?

Weiss slept fitfully that night.

/-/-/-/

A high moon shone into the throne room. Queen Cinder was waiting on one last order of business before she went back to her quarters. A guard appeared and bowed before her. "I've changed her restraints."

"Good. How is she?"

"She's… a monster. Not to worry, though, Your Majesty. The Dust nullified it as you said it would," he saluted.

"Thank you. You are dismissed."

"Yes, Queen Cinder."

Everything was going exactly as Cinder had planned. Adam did his job well… though he certainly paid the price for it. Not that it mattered. The door swung open shortly after the guard left and Neopolitan walked in. "How is the little bull?"

She waved her hand off to the side.

"I see." After a few moments, Cinder caught on and laughed. "You've taken an interest in Yang?"

Neopolitan nodded.

"Then feel free to stand in the front row to see her Scattered first hand…"

She didn't react.

"Are you expecting anything else? You're not going to get it."

After a few seconds longer, she nodded again with darkened eyes, bowed, and left. Cinder watched her go with much the same look. Sometimes she worried for the songbird that couldn't sing. Others, she wondered how many stones it would take to kill it.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN:** I'm so sorry. At least Ruby's not actually dead! With this, the Weisspocalypse reaches its climax.

**NEXT:** Ten Little Witches


	19. Ten Little Witches

~~AAAND START!~~ (Ten Little Witches)

The guards repainted Yang's wound with Dust and threw her jacket back around her frame. They added a sleeved cloak to hide the state of her clothing. They no longer drowned out her flames when she tried to use them. Without the Dust, her aura no longer gave light. With the Dust, she was only able to use her aura for a short time before the light went out of it and the guards returned to paint her again. She stopped activating her flames after a while.

Yang was always waiting for a glimpse of red fire or the estoc user's smirk. Always ready to strike—it took up her existence. Nothing else really mattered. Before, maybe she would have had a few other goals in mind… but that was before. Then, that had happened to Ruby. Her flames came to life and the door opened. Dusted and clothed again. They left.

Slowly, her arms were lifted above her head. The door opened again, her hands and feet were chained together and she was brought out of the room. Still in darkness—a blindfold made sure. Still she was waiting.

They threw her into a cage and drove her off. Still she was waiting. People watched and cursed and threw things. Still she was waiting. They strung her up by her hand restraints and she hung there in front of a crowd. Still she was waiting.

The witch trial she had forgotten began. She was charged with being a White Fang member… evidence included her clients having been hunted by them. An internal dispute. She was found guilty without having said a word. She was charged with being a witch. No other evidence was presented. She was found guilty by the crowd's screams.

They were stacking blocks around her, but left a space for her head so people could see her blindfolded face. The crowd was growing unsettled. She hadn't moved. Still she was waiting. Finally, they placed the last block in front her face and cut the blindfold. Through the blinding light, she could see stone blocks with keywords all around her.

Blood was poured down the insides of the blocks. Then, she heard something she wasn't waiting for, but she began to struggle all the same.

"Yang!"

/-/-/-/

Ruby had watched her sister through the trial with confusion and a strange sense of terror. "Why isn't she doing anything?"

Blake didn't know the answer. She was getting paler as the trial went on. Two guilty verdicts, neither of them fair in the least. Someone had passed by them and brushed into her. He winked at the her, but neither of them paid much mind to it.

As they began to stack the blocks around Yang, it all sank in. Those were the blocks Ruby had made herself. Her runes were going to kill Yang! She had to do something. What, she didn't know… but she'd rather die here today than live life knowing she'd killed her own sister. Adrenaline greater than she'd ever felt coursed through her. Ruby called out her aura and ripped off her splint and sling. No one in the crowd noticed the rose petals falling to the ground.

It was now or never. "Yang!" she yelled. The rattling of chains gave her strength and the Goddess gave her speed. She could feel energy mixing with the adrenaline. She felt like she could fly.

Ruby fed her aura to Crescent Rose and it unfolded, looming high and ready for action. The crowd parted around her in fear. Now, they noticed the unnatural petals dancing in Vale's eternal breeze. An army sector surrounded them. She didn't have time for this.

Blake unsheathed Gambol Shroud, black electricity appearing as she turned the katana into a chain scythe. "I've got your back."

With unnatural speed, Ruby flashed forward. The soldiers hadn't even seen her coming.

/-/-/-/

Sun saw the opportunity and went with it. He ran through the confused crowd and jumped up onto the stage. By this time, Neptune had also taken action and tipped over one of the stacks of blocks. Ozpin and Ironwood were racing towards them. Sun hurried to undo Yang's bonds, having pickpocketed the key from a guard on his way to her. Neptune ordered the two leaders to stop, facing his stepmother with brave defiance. Commander Ozpin looked relieved and the General Ironwood hesitated, torn between two royal wills.

Cinder ordered the leaders to attack again, but Neptune had bought enough time. Yang had equipped her gauntlets and jumped off the stage. He and Sun also made a break for it. Most of the guard sectors stayed out of the action—just focusing on getting the crowd out of harm's way. It was Weiss; she was ordering her sectors out of the fray.

Pyrrha's sector also forwent action. Now, there were only two army sectors in action. Sun didn't understand why, but he was thankful for it.

One of remaining sectors surrounded him. This was going to be quite the fight… Before he moved a muscle, he heard two sets of footsteps coming up from behind him.

"Nora!" Ren scolded.

"Boop!" Some of the soldiers were blown away, creating a path. Sun looked at his new comrades, nodded at them, and ran off to find Neptune and Yang. Scanning the area for them, he found Yang, Ruby, and Blake completely demolishing a sector. Mercury and Emerald had stopped Neptune. Sun ran towards them to fight. As he neared them, he realized something. Emerald alone could outmatch both of them—she also had aura and it was easy to tell she'd had it for longer than Sun had his.

"Neptune, let's run!" he shouted.

Neptune nodded and they made a break for it. Mercury and Emerald close behind them until a figure in a black cloak who had been standing near the stage during the trial brushed passed them and stopped their pursuers.

Sun and Neptune kept running and didn't look back.

During all this, Cinder was sitting in her chair, watching the scene with a perfectly constructed mask. Ironwood was about to jump down and join the fight, but the Ozpin simply put a hand on the his shoulder and shook his head.

/-/-/-/

Yang mowed down anyone who got too close to her sister. She could feel the Dust on her wound beginning to be consumed. Now, in the face of so many things that mattered, she didn't want the light to go out. Few soldiers were left standing so she, Blake, and Ruby ran. For lack of a better place to go, they went to Rose's Runes. If the army or guard was brazen enough to pursue them there, the fight would continue.

Once inside the doors, a tense silence lay in the shop. "Yang?" Ruby began, unsure.

It was really her. It was really Ruby. She wasn't dead, she was right here. Yang wrapped her sister in a hug. Now, she couldn't accept death for a whole different reason. To live. The wound on her shoulder finally closed. "I thought you were dead," she choked.

"I'm right here."

In her relief, a wave of exhaustion hit her. "Yeah." Yang's cloak slid off of her. The weak string that held it around her shoulders had frayed in the fight.

"Yang, what happened to you?" Ruby gasped, seeing at her tattered clothes and wounds.

She didn't answer. Instead, she fell to the ground next to the dark fabric.

"Yang!" Blake, who had been watching so far, knelt next to her. "Ruby, she needs water!"

Ruby left in a hurry.

Yang managed a smile. "Hey, Blakey."

Blake returned it weakly. "Hey. Welcome home."

"Miss me?"

She choked out a laugh. "Yeah… a lot."

Satisfied with that, Yang let sleep take her.

/-/-/-/

Ruby returned with the requested items only to find Yang asleep on the floor. At first, Ruby feared her sister was dead, but Blake had assured her it was just exhaustion taking its toll.

Yang was in terrible shape. Just to scratch the surface, her clothes were ripped and bloody, a film of salt coated her, and her hair was dry and knotted. The hair part alone was scary seeing how much effort Yang put into it every day. It all made Ruby angry. "It's against the law to hurt prisoners before a trial." It was more for the guards' safety than the prisoners', but rules were rules.

Blake didn't say anything; she was deep in thought.

Suddenly, Jaune threw open the door and walked through. "Phew, I came here as quickly as I could—have you seen Ren and Nora? That was crazy, Ruby. Real—" He spotted Yang on the floor. "Really crazy…"

Ruby offered a brief explanation and pulled out a chair for him. They sat for a moment before some more people approached from outside. "This is it!"

"Are you sure we should go in?"

"We helped, didn't we?" The door opened and the two walked in. "Hey there, Yang's friends!" Sun greeted.

Ruby's jaw dropped. Prince Neptune had just walked into the room! Jaune got out of the chair, torn between bowing and running from potential arrest, while Blake unsheathed Gambol Shroud and stood in front of them, ready for a fight.

"Whoa, chill! We're on the same team! Put that away!" Sun and Neptune held up their hands.

Blake slowly lowered her weapon.

Neptune introduced himself with a smile. "Prince Neptune Vasilias. It's a pleasure."

"I'm Sun! We helped Yang escape, so, we're your friends, okay?" He glanced at all the weapons and Dust in the shop.

The door opened again behind them. "Nora! Hey, Ruby and friends!" She popped in, grinning and spattered with other people's blood.

Ren followed close behind her, panting. "Nora! Please… Don't ever do that again."

"Hey, guys!" Jaune waved.

Sun turned towards them. "You're the people who helped me out!"

"She blew up half a sector of soldiers…" Ren clarified.

"You liked it, Renny," Nora winked.

Sun laughed at their dynamic. "Thanks."

Nora gave a thumbs-up. "Noooo problem!"

The door opened again. Pyrrha entered and nodded. "I thought I might find everyone here."

"Hey, Pyrrha!" Jaune waved.

"Hello, Jaune."

"Looks like the gang's all here!"

"There's still… one more person who might show up," Ruby remembered.

"Who's that?"

The door was pretty much blasted open, hitting Prince Neptune in the shoulder. "Ow!"

"Ruby! What in the world is wrong with you?" Weiss raged into fray.

"There she is…" Ruby said.

Finally, Blake spoke up, clearly irritated. "I'm glad you're all having such a great time, but could you be a little quieter?"

Everyone closed their mouths and looked guiltily at Yang.

Weiss was the first person to speak up. "Why is she on the floor?"

Blake glared at her. "Does it matter?"

Neptune stepped forward. "I can take her upstairs."

Sun offered to help.

Realizing who just spoke, Weiss nearly had an aneurysm. "THE **PRINCE **IS HERE?"

"Nice to meet you," he waved.

Weiss jumped into a salute. "Th—That won't be necessary. I can take her upstairs."

"If you say so."

Heaving the five-foot-eight adventurer onto her back, she wobbled towards the pseudo stairs.

When she had gone up three, Ruby had had enough. "I'll be right back." She pushed Weiss up the boxes.

"I don't need help!"

"Someone's going to get hurt if I don't help you!"

Grumbling, Weiss accepted and they settled Yang in her room.

When the two had returned, Ruby cleared her throat. "Well, now that everyone's here… I guess we've got a lot to talk about."

/-/-/-/

After introductions, they got to the meat of the situation. With everyone there to share their findings, the little parts that didn't make sense alone fit together like puzzle pieces… but without the one missing link, connecting the larger parts was hard.

Sun and Neptune recounted seeing Emerald's aura. Since she was the head of Intelligene, it was unlikely Queen Cinder didn't know about it. In fact, it was even possible that Cinder had aura herself, though how she unlocked it was still unknown.

Weiss spoke about her story with the dagger and the mask. Emerald was likely behind that one, meaning the trial was rigged.

Nora told everyone about a strange character who sat in her tavern one day—he'd only had half a mug of ale in all the time he'd been there. Anyone who had ever had Nora's ale knew that was strange… Ren also confirmed her account by saying he had seen the man walk in the direction of Rose's Runes as if he were tailing Ruby. Blake said she could confirm he was the one who broke Ruby's arm. She'd seen him remove his hat outside of the rune shop and he matched the description.

The king's assassin and the strange man who broke Ruby's arm were definitely in the White Fang and they had targeted Ruby… or more specifically, Yang's sister. That meant there may be a correlation between Emerald and the White Fang since they both had their eyes on Yang. Other than a sneaking suspicion, there was no other actual evidence to prove that, though.

They were missing the linking piece. The one that would tie everything together. With perfect timing, Yang came staggering down the stairs. "Sorry I'm missing the party."

"Yang!" A few people stood.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Sun demanded.

"I'm fine... But I could use some water."

Jaune got her two glasses.

"We're talking about the White Fang. Do you have anything to add?" Ruby inquired.

Yang sat down on the workbench. "Well… You know the guy who broke your arm?"

"Yeah?"

The room was still, listening.

"He… seemed to be able to go in and out of the prison freely," Yang said as she gripped a tool from the workbench. Her knuckles turned white.

"The areas near the witch rooms have some of the tightest security in Vale," Weiss stated. "He'd need help getting in and out."

"There's our link!" Sun connected.

"You're saying the queen is with the White Fang? But, why?" Ruby questioned. "The queen sent the army into Vale to attack the White Fang."

Sun scratched his head. "Maybe not the queen, but at least someone close. Like Emerald."

"No, my step mom would totally do that," Neptune countered. Everyone turned towards him.

"What?"

"She's always been a control freak… What if she started the whole thing just to send soldiers into town? She has all the power now."

Weiss furrowed her brow. "If the man who attacked Ruby matches the description for over half the White Fang attackers, there can't be more than a few members."

"Meaning the whole thing could be a set-up," Pyrrha concluded.

Everyone let that sink in for a moment.

"The queen did all this for control?" Ruby was disgusted.

"Now that I think about it…" Neptune mused. "I was supposed to take over after my dad died. She stepped in at the last second and pulled the 'experience in the face of danger' card."

"That's really suspicious," Sun agreed.

"So, the queen had the king assassinated and revived an old crime ring to control the kingdom?" Even Weiss was appalled.

"What should we do about it?" Jaune wondered.

"REBELLION!" Nora shouted, jumping up from her seated position on the floor.

Neptune walked into the middle of the group. "Look, I know this sounds crazy, but… I think Nora's right. Queen Cinder is throwing her own kingdom into chaos just for absolute power. I have friends in other kingdoms, and my dad owned a house she doesn't know about outside of the city. We have to do what's right for the kingdom. If you'll join me… I think we should start a rebellion."

"I'm game," Sun said as soon as his friend finished.

"I'm ready for the explosions!" Nora exclaimed.

"I'll look after Nora," Ren piped up for the first time in a while.

"The queen hurt Ruby and sentenced me to death. I'll fight," Yang promised.

"Me too," Ruby agreed.

"You have my support. I can't allow the queen to get away with harming innocents and inflicting fear upon the people for power," Blake swore.

"I agree with Blake. Justice must be served," Pyrrha stated solemnly.

"I'll join in, too… but I don't know how to fight," Jaune admitted. "What about you, Weiss?"

Neptune turned to her. "Weiss, you're an heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. Your aid would be irreplaceable."

Weiss thought about it. Queen Cinder was horribly unjust and prince was personally asking her to join him based on her connections… which meant she could probably profit this in the future. Her father had always told her to follow such opportunities. "You have my support," she concluded.

And there it was. The rebellion. Ten teenagers sitting in a partially destroyed rune shop. At least according to Nora, Cinder should be shaking in her heels about now.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **Act two begins!

**NEXT:** Time, the Great Constructor


	20. Time, the Great Constructor

~~AAAND START!~~ (Time, the Great Constructor)

Cinder picked up Neopolitan by the hair and stared into her eyes. She blew tresses out of her face and looked back with unbendable will. They had been in the training room for two hours already. Cinder had tried to make her understand the error of her ways, yet no matter how many times her flames burned through Neopolitan's aura and seared her skin, the strength in her eyes never faltered.

"Very well. You can have your toy." Cinder's voice was low, ever so slightly out of breath. She knew when someone couldn't be broken… but she would still win the war.

Neopolitan smirked.

"But don't forget who owns your life, Songbird," Cinder snarled as she dropped her on the floor and walked to the exit. She felt Neopolitan's gaze on her as she closed the door.

Cinder went back to her quarters, smelling faintly of burnt flesh. Once inside, she leaned against the door and rolled up a sleeve to air out her heated Dust tattoos. The voices were back again—it happened every time she used her aura. No matter how many times she put them down, they returned again stronger than ever.

Cinder never understood what they said… only that they were angry with her. She put both hands to the sides of her head and leaned forwards. Screwing her eyes closed, she spiked her aura and willed them to halt their assault.

"Queen Cinder?" Emerald was outside the door.

She was going to tell her to leave when the volume increased to the point where she couldn't hear herself think. She slumped forwards and hit the floor harshly, unable to brace the fall. It was getting harder to move some of her muscles whenever she used her aura.

Emerald must have heard her beyond the door and rushed in. "Queen Cinder!"

Cinder grit her teeth, glowing eyes peering through her hair. Reminding herself of Neopolitan earlier, she almost laughed.

Emerald put a hand on her shoulder in a panic. "What's wrong?"

"Don't touch me."

"But—"

"Don't touch me!" Frustrated, her aura spiked and the voices quieted.

Emerald drew back. "What's wrong?" she repeated.

Cinder hated being seen weak like this. Short on breath, she put a palm to the floor and rose to a seated position. Her head ached."Leave me." She raised a hand to her temples. She needed silence.

"Queen Cinder…" Emerald looked hurt as she got up. "Why won't you let me help you?"

It was simple. Cinder didn't want or need it. She braced herself against the wall as she stood. "Just… go."

Emerald opened her mouth, but closed it abruptly. Shoulders drooping, she turned towards the door. "Okay."

In the end, Cinder was left to the quiet she so desired.

/-/-/-/

They made an interesting group, ten cloaked people and one horse-drawn cart traveling out of the city with . Yang's only possession now were her gauntlets, and due to the circumstances of their departure, most of them didn't have time to pack more than a bag or a suitcase worth of stuff. As a result, Nora's cart was mostly filled with rune equipment, food, and other essentials covered with a tarp.

Though this may have been suspicious, it was easy to escape the kingdom seeing as a region captain and an army sergeant were on their side. Weiss and Pyrrha hadn't done anything "wrong" during the witch trial and therefore still had power over their troops.

Before they left, Yang washed and changed into fresh linens, but she was still exhausted and hungry and probably more than a little unsteady on her legs. Even so, she decided they had bigger fish to fry and tried not to let it show as she followed the group.

Blake had barely spoken since the witch trial and was sending a worried glance or two her way every so often. Yang wondered if she was catching on and stepped up the pace.

Weiss was probably still grumpy about not being able to take many things, and she and Ruby were currently locked in a debate about how many bags were really appropriate to take along. Eventually, Neptune explained that his father's house was pretty much furnished already and the trek continued.

After half a day's worth of travel, they reached an old village just as the last of the evening light loosened its grip on the sky. They could have stayed the night there, but that risked being seen by some of Vale's agents. Instead, they skirted around the village and on, taking turns resting on the cart until they reached the mountains and the terrain became too rough to put extra weight on the cart.

Jaune played his lute to keep up spirit when everyone was beginning to tire out. Yang was counting her steps to the beat of the music, trying not to think about anything else. When he began to sing, Weiss—who hadn't been listening up to that point—mistook his screeching for a Nevermore and drew her sword in preparation for an attack. Ruby nearly died of laughter. In light of the incident, they switched to conversation to prevent further embarrassments.

"So, what's this castle like?" Nora inquired.

"It's not a castle. It was built for my father when he was young, but they pretty much forgot about it when he became king. I've never been to it."

"Sounds old."

"When he gave it to me, they had it updated. It's been two years since then." Neptune looked out into the distance. "Actually, I think that's it over there." Everyone practically ran to catch a glimpse of the estate. There embraced by dawn's first light on top of a cliff was a large home with Neptune's personal seal hanging from a banner on the right wall.

Blake was unimpressed. "It's definitely yours."

"That's quite the establishment," Pyrrha commented.

"It'll do," said Weiss, looking about the same as Blake.

After climbing the hill leading to the cliff, Neptune pointed out the various buildings in front of it. "To the right should be the stables and the servant's quarters."

"We have servant's quarters!" Nora whooped

"To the left is the bathhouse and outhouses."

"It even has its own bathhouse? Wow…" Ruby breathed.

"I'm beginning to like this rebellion," Yang quipped, yearning for a good soak. After a good meal, of course.

Jaune looked towards the outhouses. "You think I could use the bathroom real quick?" Ren shrugged and he sped off.

When they entered the mansion, Neptune turned to face them. "Let's get some rest before we talk about our plans." Everyone hummed in agreement. "I think the bedrooms are upstairs... So, I guess there's just one thing left to say, guys. Welcome to Beacon!"

Sun cast his shoes to the side of the mudroom. "You know it's cool when it has its own name," he quipped.

/-/-/-/

The shaken council commenced the emergency meeting with an undercurrent of fear. "The truth is, the general public is scared senseless. Prince Neptune himself is part of the White Fang, and a dangerous witch has escaped. Not only that, but a region captain and an army sergeant with no traceable connections to the terrorists have gone missing along with three civilians and the witch's sister. There were signs of erratic behavior before they disappeared, and we believe they were either conspiring with the White Fang or targeted by them. What will you have done, my queen?"

Cinder pushed the stack of papers in front of her to the middle of the table, relishing the council's malleable state. "I would like these to be signed and passed."

The council looked through them and whispered amongst themselves. "These laws are very restricting—especially towards the Faunus. The late king—"

"It is for the good of the kingdom, is it not?"

"We just…"

"If the prince is planning a rebellion, we're going to need laws to combat it."

The council members looked around before putting their seals on the documents. "Very well… Let us hope these work."

Cinder smirked. Phase three had gone into effect. Even if it was under different circumstances than she had originally planned for, Neptune's betrayal just made things easier.

/-/-/-/

Weiss and the others sat around the dining room table. It was around noon, but Nora had insisted Ren make pancakes once they'd swept the cobwebs out of the kitchen.

"It's always time for pancakes!" she'd asserted.

They were still waiting for Yang, Ruby, and Juane to fill three of the five empty seats. When Jaune walked in with a onesie on, Weiss cringed and decided they could eat without him. It had the same effect on Yang, who came in a few moments later with Ruby. Yang looked like she hadn't slept a wink, but then again, she did just get out of prison.

Beacon had three bedrooms, but they were so large that two of them had been fitted with four beds and the third with two. Weiss, Yang, Blake, and Ruby shared one room—not even bothering to unpack before brushing enough dust from the beds to crash onto them and sleep. It seems Nora, Ren, Pyrrha, and Jaune had done things differently given the bard's attire. Sun and Neptune had put their things in the last room, but Sun fell asleep next to the fire in the family room and Neptune had somehow managed to fall asleep while reading a book in the library.

After Weiss had finished her meal, which she had to admit was quite good, she pushed her plate forward a little bit to show she was done. It made a track in the thick layer of dust on the table. She stared at it in disgust.

Neptune set down his silverware and began to speak. "Okay, first order of business. We have to decide what we're going to do about Cinder."

"Can't we clean first?" Weiss was not about to live in a dust bowl.

"I'm gonna have to go with Weiss on this one," Sun seconded. He sneezed. "I think I'm allergic to dust."

"Never mind. First order of business: let's clean," Neptune said.

Two years worth of dust, debris, and much-needed maintenance took a long time to do even with ten people. By the time the minimum amount was done, the moon had risen once again. Being that the first few days were spent traveling, cleaning, and sleeping, the rebellion was off to an action-packed start.

"Now that that's over," Neptune started, "let's figure out what we're going to do about the queen."

"I think it would be wise for us all to unlock our auras," Pyrrha said.

"Okay, that makes sense. How are we going to get support?"

"I know a few people who might join us," Yang answered.

"And my mom's company can get us food," Nora added.

"I might be able to make a deal with my father's company as well," Weiss said. "And the guard may be willing to listen to me."

Sun whistled. "You guys are well connected."

Neptune nodded. "I think we should break into teams. One for recruitment and the other for managing things back at Beacon."

Nora saluted. "Renny and I will join Team Management! He makes more than great pancakes, you know. And, of course, I can handle the ale in the buttery!"

"Fine with me," Ren agreed.

Jaune held up his lute. "I guess I'll join Team Management, too. You know, for morale."

Weiss thought that was a pretty solid plan as long as he didn't sing.

"I'll be on Team Recruitment," Yang declared.

Pyrrha glanced at Jaune. "I'll stay on Team Management. I can help raise our combat ability with some training drills."

"I want to be on Yang's team," Ruby announced.

"Shouldn't you be on Team Management because you're a rune master?" Weiss objected.

"But, all our weapons already have runes."

Weiss sighed and ended up being the last to join Team Recruitment along with Blake. Sun and Neptune decided to form their own team for leadership and general organizational purposes. Neptune as himself and Sun as a Faunus representative. All this accomplished, Team Recruitment compiled a list of possible rebellion sympathizers and everyone went back to their rooms. It was a good start—the rest would have to be sorted out the next day.

Team Recruitment sat around the table in their room. "I don't think we should go into Vale with more than two people at a time," Yang mused.

"It would be risky…" Weiss pondered for a second. "We'll just have to break into partners."

The others nodded.

"Okay, who wants to be mine?" she asked.

"Umm… Draw lots?" Ruby suggested after an uneasy silence.

"You people sure know how to hurt someone's feelings!" Nonetheless, Weiss organized the lottery system.

Ruby put her head down on the table after the drawing. "Ugh, I can't believe I'm Weiss's partner."

Weiss crossed her arms. "It's not like I wanted to be yours!"

"Well, we can't complain, huh, Blakey?"

"You're right, Yang."

Ruby put her hands to her ears and groaned. "Will you two stop rubbing it in?"

Yang and Blake laughed.

/-/-/-/

Ruby sat at the table in their room, painting runes onto strips of paper.

"Would you go to bed already?" Weiss hissed.

"Sorry, am I bothering you?"

"Yes, you're bothering me! How can I sleep with all that noise and the light?"

Yang watched them while Blake turned away, trying to tune them out as she read a book from the library.

"I just want to make sure I'm ready for tomorrow," Ruby explained.

"You should have done that earlier!"

"Well, I'm doing it now!"

"That's the problem!" Weiss growled.

Ruby wheeled on her, tipping over a rack of vials she was filling with pig's blood in the process. "You're the problem!"

"Ugh, you're so childish! Stop wasting the candles and go to sleep!"

"I'm not wasting the candles!"

"Yes you are, you're burning through them like you—"

At the word "burn," Yang froze. The runes on the wet strips of paper lit on fire and were eaten by a jagged, red flame. Suddenly, Yang was there again. In the witch's prison. Feeling the hatred, watching Ruby's head burn… and there was the red flame. Screaming, she brought her aura to life, eyes flashing red, and smashed the table to pieces.

Ruby scrambled backward. "Yang? What's wrong? Yang!"

Yang didn't stop until it was over—until the Burning paper was out. She calmed down slowly, out of breath. Then, she realized where she was and looked around.

Team Management ran to the door. Pyrrha opened it with her weapon out. "Is everyone alright?" Both teams stared at Yang near the broken table. "Yang, what happened?"

"I… Uh…"

Yang ran.

/-/-/-/

The others were left dumbfounded. "What was that?" Weiss looked at Ruby like she was expecting an answer.

"I don't know… It must have had something to do with when she was in prison."

For once, Weiss spoke softly. "What in the world happened to her?"

Blake dropped her book and ran after Yang.

The chase led them down the stairs leading to the base of the cliff. "Yang, wait!" she called when she was within earshot.

Yang slowed to a stop and stood, head down, facing forward. "Blake, I…"

Blake walked around her until they were facing each other on a platform.

"I don't know what happened, it just felt like I was…"

Blake shushed her gently. "It's okay. I'm here."

"It felt so real…"

"Yang, you had a flashback. It's okay. They're normal."

"What's normal about what just happened?" Yang roared.

"After going through something terrible, it's normal to have nightmares and flashbacks. It's how you get over it."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I've had them, too."

Yang looked at her for a long time. "But… what if I hurt someone?"

"You won't, Yang. I believe in you. And if you have one again, I'll be there for you. Everything is going to be okay." The moon illuminated their spot on the stairs; the stars were alive in the sky. Clouds continued their lazy midnight walks across it all, as if they were visiting old friends and had to catch up before moving on.

Finally, Yang spoke. "Okay, Blake." They leaned against the cliffside, watching the forest below and the celestial beings above. It all blended into a captivating picture of beauty.

Blake felt for her voice after the contemplative silence. "Do you want to talk about it?" There under the broken moon she heard a story so twisted and cruel the stars seemed to draw back in horror, shining dimmer. Some of it was told in tears—those pieces were the most gruesome. Some of it was told with sick humor, somehow making Yang's deprivation a joke.

Worst of all, Blake knew the man who'd done this and she once called him family. She'd once called him a partner.

She decided it there under that moonlight and those stars, above the Emerald Forest and next to Yang… She swore to everything there to bear witness that she couldn't rest until he was dead… and it wasn't for the crimes he committed, though he would get his justice for those too. It was because she once called him all those things.

That was why she would kill Adam Taurus.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **And the plot thickens…

**NEXT: **Red and White


	21. Red and White

~~AAAND START!~~ (Red and White)

They sat in the family room, listening to Yang's story. Blake was next to her, Ruby held her from the other side. Once she had finished the tale, they were at a loss for what to say next. Had the flames from the firebox been burning a thousand times brighter, there still would have been shadows in the room.

"Oh, Yang… I'm so sorry," Nora offered.

Ren agreed solemnly.

"Thank you for telling us," Pyrrha nodded.

Sun was fuming. "That's messed up! I am so going to kill the queen."

"We're going to make sure no one has to go through something like this ever again," Neptune said.

Weiss was stunned. "I can't believe that happened to you." She averted her gaze with a complicated facial expression. "To know I was partly responsible… Even though I had confidence that I was right at the time… You didn't deserve any of it."

Ruby held her tighter. "I'm here for you, Yang. We all are. If you need anything…"

Yang smiled wryly. "Thanks, guys."

Neptune phrased his next question carefully. "Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?"

"Yeah. One thing." When she took off her leather jacket, everyone gasped. A large, obsidian scar started at her right shoulder and trailed down both sides of her torso to beneath her tank top. It left no indent on the skin and was more like a mark… but the vein-like structures coming from it made it disturbing all the same.

Jaune was blown away. "Is that the wound from that sword lady?"

Ruby's eyes widened. "When you didn't take off your jacket for bed…"

"I don't get it. Why do all of this if they were just going to cover it up afterwards?" Sun paced with clenched fists.

"It's because of what would have happened after she was executed," Blake said.

The room stopped and looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"You've all heard me say that aura exists in the balance of the world…" She trailed off, eyes sweeping the room before she continued. "If you die out of balance, your aura manifests as a physical object after your heart stops beating."

Everyone could hardly believe what they were hearing. "What?"

"We know the two possible forms… Dust and the Grimm."

Weiss stood. "That's crazy! You mean to tell me my father's company—our very world is built on the souls of the dead?"

Blake nodded. "Yes, I do. As sad as it seems, it's the truth. But, by casting Dust or killing the Grimm, we lay those souls to rest." A small comfort in light of such a revelation. "When Yang was in prison, she rejected death to the point that she started turning into a Grimm while she was still alive. Those are called half-breeds."

"So what does that have to do with the trial?" Sun barked.

Neptune answered. "If she turned into a Grimm after the trial… Cinder would have been able to take advantage of the fear… and she could do anything in the name of defeating the White Fang."

"Exactly," Blake affirmed.

"Why is it black?" Ruby demanded.

"When you change into a Grimm, the light in you goes out. Dust can slow the process… but when that light goes out completely, it's over. That mark shows how far the process advanced," Blake replied.

"This is all so much to take in…" Pyrrha said.

Yang put her jacket back on. "Pyrrha's right. Maybe we should continue tomorrow. I don't want us to be tired out…"

Her words seemed to turn the shock to exhaustion. Everyone reluctantly agreed to go back to their rooms for what was left of the night.

"You sure you're alright, Yang?" Jaune asked when they were leaving.

"I'm okay, Jaune. Thanks."

When they all were back in their rooms, Ruby took out the fire Dust crystal Yang had given her long ago. "So, this crystal used to be alive…"

"It's such a bright shade that it was probably a half-breed," Blake said.

Furrowing her brow, Ruby made a decision. She grabbed her tools and ran outside towards the cliff. She would have done it there under the stars and distantly rising sun had something not caught her attention. Near the cliff's edge covered in flora was an ancient ruin. Its camouflage was so well done that it was impossible to see from the mansion.

Upon inspection, it appeared to be a signal of some kind. A wall built of reflective stone partially surrounded a raised platform. On it, there was a single keyword carved in quartz.

Ruby could think of nothing more fitting and so she set the Dust crystal on the quartz and copied over the runes with her tools, etching them deep into the vermillion stone. Finally, she extended her aura to it. "Shine!"

Perhaps this was what the mansion was truly named for, for the most brilliant beacon of light she'd ever seen lit up, reflected off the stone wall, and illuminated the tops of the Emerald Forest all those feet below the cliff.

Yang, who had followed her out, wrapped her in a hug from behind. "You did good, Rubes. You did good." They watched until the light left and if they were asked, they would have sworn they heard someone whisper:

"_Thank You."_

/-/-/-/

After breakfast the next morning, everyone sat around the dining room table to discuss what to do for the day. Neptune decided he was going to write to other kingdoms, and Team Recruitment chose to send Ruby and Weiss to Vale to carry out the team's namesake. Everyone else was going to train in the forest. Eventually, the topic they were all subconsciously avoiding came up… aura.

It was decided everyone would need it... and if one of their auras were to manifest in the event of their deaths, the others would lay them to rest. Those with aura already made rounds and unlocked everyone else's.

Nora's aura was a pink, rough flame. Even though it wasn't soft like Yang's, both auras were direct forms of fire and exuded comforting warmth.

Jaune's aura was an indirect form of wind. A softly fluctuating white glow. He was only slightly disappointed it wasn't as flashy as other auras, but spent the rest of the time staring at it in awe. Like Ruby's, it was like their auras were eternally dancing in a wind unfelt by everyone else.

Neptune's aura was an indirect form of ice. Chilly, blue sparkles twinkled around him, only adding to his already dynamite smile. His aura could not have been more different from Weiss's. In fact, she nearly gave him a heart attack when frost formed on his clothes and hair at her touch.

Ren's aura was pink like his eyes. Holographic lotus petals flashed and distorted as if they were formed by static. An indirect form of lightning. Nora was ecstatic their auras were the same color… Ren seemed rather pleased by it, too.

Pyrrha's aura was also an indirect form of lighting. A red magnetic field that slowly drew metal objects towards her. There would need to be a lot of training in the future for her; she looked like a magnet dragged through a blacksmith's scrap pile by the time she learned to turn it off.

All this accomplished, Weiss and Ruby mounted Bumblebee. If they weren't back in five days, the others agreed to assume they'd been captured. After goodbyes and well wishes, they left for Vale. "Alright! Weiss and her fearless leader, Ruby, as part of Team Recruitment, have begun their first mission!" Ruby raised a fist into the air as they galloped through the mountains. "Banzai!"

"Put your hand back on the reins! And who made you leader?"

"I'm the one driving the horse."

"Umm, you're riding the horse and you're doing it incredibly dangerously. Slow down and switch spots with me!"

"Nuh-uh. This is awesome!"

"You almost rode us off a cliff!"

"C'mon, Weiss, don't be such a stick in the mud. We're still alive, aren't we?"

Weiss squeaked in surprise when they jumped off a boulder a little too high off the ground. "Barely!"

/-/-/-/

Sun found Neptune in his dad's old office. "You should have been at training this morning. It was awesome! These guys are the coolest! No offense."

"None taken."

Sun sat down in front of the desk. "Luckily, we're having another one a little later, so I was thinking, you know… you might like to join?"

"Sounds cool with me. I just have to finish these letters."

"Cool. Who are you writing them to?"

"My friends in the other kingdoms. I just don't know whether I should trust them. Cinder's got eyes and ears everywhere."

"Maybe you should write in a secret code or something."

Neptune laughed. "Yeah, maybe." He looked at a portrait across the room. "Sometimes, I wonder what my dad would do."

"Is that him?"

"Yeah."

Saturn Vasilias stared at them with stern yet kind, painted eyes.

"Hmm… well, there is one thing I've always wondered," Sun said.

Neptune raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"How is your hair blue? I mean, his is more like a brownish yellow, and…"

"Dude… Seriously?" Neptune laughed.

Sun was mildly offended. "What?"

"After everything that's happened, you ask about my hair?"

"It's blue! Whose hair is blue?"

"I got it from my mom, dude."

"Well, it's cool."

"Yeah." Neptune folded a finished letter and sealed it. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get you involved with the whole letter thing."

"Pfft, that's dumb. You should always get friends involved. Especially best friends." They shared a look. "Besides, I'm part of Team Leadership, too. I want a part of the action!"

"Alright, man. If you say so…"

And so, they spent the day writing plea letters and had fun doing it, as boring as the task itself was.

/-/-/-/

Ruby and Weiss ducked into an alleyway.

"Gosh, this place is crawling with patrols," Ruby noted.

"It's the guard's HQ, you dunce! It's supposed to be that way!"

"I just meant there's more patrols than normal."

That was true. "Queen Cinder probably tightened security after the witch trial."

"Eugh. The queen." They watched the guards in front of the HQ for a while longer. "We should distract them."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

Drawing from various experiences of sneaking Jaune into bard expos and away from Cardin, Ruby offered a plan she deemed most effective. "Try throwing a rock into those bushes. We can distract the guards and sneak in. Works every time…"

"That's a terrible idea! I wonder about your upbringing, Ruby Rose." Even so, it wasn't like they could just ask to go in, and a disguise—though possible and probably the better option—was hard to come by and harder to maintain. Weiss doubted Ruby could act with the required poise she would need to act as a rank high enough to see the commander. Not to mention ordinary citizens were interviewed before entering and all deliveries to Commander Ozpin were inspected by a lower-ranking guard first. All this in mind, Weiss picked up a nearby rock and aimed, questioning her own mental health.

At the last second, Ruby jumped back and hit Weiss in the side. "Ew, there's a rat!"

The rock completely avoided its intended path, striking one of the guards in the face.

"What was that? That should have been easy!" Ruby cried. "You hit him in the face!"

"Well, perhaps if you had exercised even the slightest amount of caution with the direction of your cowering, I wouldn't have missed so terribly! And, besides, I believe this method distraction is more effective."

Ruby scoffed. "I wasn't cowering."

While they bickered, the guard found them and gave chase. "Halt! Assaulting a guard is a violation of the law and is punishable by death!"

"B—By _death_?" Ruby squeaked.

Weiss grabbed her arm. "We have to go!"

They ran through the streets of Vale, more guards joining in every so often until seven were chasing them. Ruby led the way up a ladder. "Weiss, up here!" They were near Rose's Runes, but she had no intention of going there. She spied an open window on another familiar building and ran towards it. "Jump!"

"What are you? Insane?" When Weiss turned back around, Ruby was gone. "Oh, you insufferable little—"

"Stop!" The guards were getting closer.

"How could you leave me?" Weiss wailed.

Ruby reappeared in the window frame. "I said, 'jump'! You'll be fine! Trust me, Weiss!"

Weiss concluded she must be crazy as well, because after one more look back, she actually decided to jump off a thirty foot building into a second floor window. With a battle cry of sorts, she ran forward and jumped. She'd admit it was exhilarating… except for the landing. She couldn't get the footing right and took down Ruby in her efforts to stay balanced.

"S… See? Totally fine!" Ruby coughed, the wind having been knocked out of her.

Weiss got up. "Ruby! I told you this was a terrible idea!"

"At least they didn't catch us! Stop worrying!"

"I am so far beyond worrying!"

Ruby paused. "Like, in a good way?"

"In a bad way! In a very bad way!" Weiss looked around. "Where are we?" They seemed to be in a home of some sort. It smelled strongly of...

"Welcome to Tukson's Bakery. Home to every cookie under the sun! I see you're just dropping in, Ruby. How may I help you?"

"Tukson! We need help, quick! Will you hide us from the guards? Weiss hit one in the face with a rock and now they're after us!"

"Whose fault is that?" Weiss sassed.

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Rub groaned. "But, you didn't have to let go of the rock!" She turned to the store's owner. "Please, Tukson?"

"In the wardrobe." He hustled the two into a rather cramped closet. Not a second later, the guards came knocking at the door. With Tukson's "helpful" directions, they left the store after an extremely short search. When Tukson returned, he brought a basket of baked goods. "Would you like a cookie?"

/-/-/-/

They laid low at Tukson's place for the rest of they day. In that time, Weiss wrote a letter to the SDC and had him it. Seeing as Ruby was his best-paying customer, he was happy to let them stay for a while… and Weiss offered him money after the rebellion. On the second day, Lark and his cousin, Thrush, came in for a treat. It's funny how things have a way of working out–Those two were on the list of potential sympathizers.

Seeing as they were both guards and were absolutely sickened by the queen's misdeeds, they were happy to lend their support on the day of the rebellion… and Weiss offered them money, too. Either way, they could now check Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing, and Sky Lark off the list. Jaune had put Cardin on the list, and Ruby didn't seem too happy about it, but support was support.

Their new comrades agreed to escort them back to the guard's headquarters. On their way out, Tukson gave them one last cookie and told Ruby to say hi to Yang for him.

By flagging her down in the hallway, Ruby and Weiss were able to get an audience with Glynda, who was very skeptical about the rebellion and also very vocal about it. In the end, she threatened to turn them in and stormed off. Ruby looked dejected until a voice from behind her and Weiss startled them. "Hmm… Now that didn't seem to go very well."

"C—Commander Ozpin!" Weiss snapped to attention out of reflex.

"Hold on," he said. "Glynda!"

She stopped from over halfway down the hall and came back. "What?"

"I think we should hear them out."

"With all due respect, I—"

"Let's go into my office."

Glynda scowled, but did as requested. She stood behind Ozpin while he, Ruby, and Weiss were seated.

"I already know Ms. Schnee… but who might you be?"

"Uh, I'm Ruby!" After some silence, she elaborated. "Ruby Rose!"

"Ruby Rose…" Ozpin leaned in, contemplating her behind his glasses. "So! I hear you two are organizing a rebellion."

"That's correct," Weiss confirmed.

"Not just us," Ruby added. "The prince, too."

"You are very brave to come to me for support."

"Uh… thank you?"

Weiss mentally face palmed. Ruby was making a fool of herself! "Bravery is necessary in the face of adversary," she said, picking up the ball she deemed to be dropped.

"I'm just curious. What made you think I would help your cause?" Ozpin asked.

Weiss was about to say something, but Ruby opened her mouth instead.

"You don't seem like a bad guy, Commander Ozpin... Sir," she fumbled. "I think you want what's best for Vale, too."

Actually… that wasn't such a bad response.

Ozpin smiled. "You want the guard's support?"

"Yes, Sir." Both Ruby and Weiss responded in unison.

He exchanged a glance with Glynda. She hmphed in displeasure, but he didn't seem to mind. He turned back to them. "Well, okay."

"Yes!" Ruby whooped. Weiss stepped on her foot and she yelped, then stiffly extended a hand. "I-I mean… Wow, really? We're happy to have your support, Commander Ozpin, Sir."

Ozpin shook hands with both of them. "Now, what is this I hear about aura?"

/-/-/-/

Thrush walked away, tossing his new bag of Lien up and down. He "let slip" that the rebels had stayed at Tukson's Bakery.

Emerald had offered a fine price for the information. She figured she'd pay Tukson's a visit.

Making quick time, she closed the bakery door behind her maybe half an hour later. "Be right there!" He came out of the back with a cookie sheet in each hand. She could sense he had aura. "Welcome to Tukson's Bakery. Home to every cookie under the sun! How may I…"

Emerald called her out her aura and walked towards the counter.

Tukson looked confused and a little nervous. "How may I help you?"

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **Nooo! Tukson!

**NEXT:** Black and Yellow


	22. Black and Yellow

~~AAAND START!~~ (Black and Yellow)

After exactly five days, Yang was just about ready to crusade into Vale when she heard Weiss' irritated shrieks and saw Bumblebee on the horizon. Now, they all sat around the dining table eating dinner.

"Who'd you say that guy's name was?" Sun asked around a mouthful of food.

"Russel Thrush," Ruby reiterated.

"Hey… That's the guy who arrested me!" He swallowed. "Are you sure we want him on our team? He said some pretty mean stuff about the Faunus."

"What kind of stuff?" Ruby inquired.

"Eh, the usual you hear around town. I really don't like that he thought I was in the White Fang just because I had a tail. The group doesn't even exist anymore!"

Weiss entered the conversation after placing down her silverware. "Hmm! The White Fang." She crossed her arms and tilted her head up with her eyes closed. "What an awful bunch of degenerates!"

Blake rolled her eyes. "Not this again."

"What? I simply don't care for the criminally insane."

"The White Fang was hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They were a collection of misguided Faunus."

"Misguided? They wanted to wipe humanity off the face of the planet!"

"So then they were very misguided," Blake returned. "Either way, Sun's right. The group is dead."

"Blake's got a point," Ruby put in.

"That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang was a bunch of scum. Those degenerate Faunus only knew how to lie, cheat, and steal."

Yang noticed Blake gritting her teeth and spoke up. "That's not necessarily true…" Despite her efforts, the unpleasant and untrusting undercurrent between the two had already swept the conversation out of control.

Blake's temper broke. "Stop calling them scum! Stop calling them degenerates! They're people!"

"Guys? Uh... maybe we should just calm down…" Jaune suggested meekly.

"Yeah, I didn't mean for it to get this intense," Sun agreed. Their attempts to quell the argument were as effective as Yang's.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Weiss gestured around the dining room. "Would you like me to stop referring to this plate as a plate? Or these food scraps as food scraps?"

Blake slammed her fork down. "Stop it!"

"Stop what? They were clearly criminals. Given enough time, they probably would have killed the king themselves!"

"Whoa…" Neptune put his hands up. "Not cool, ladies."

"You ignorant little brat!" Blake snarled.

When she got up to leave, Weiss followed, looking offended. "How dare you talk to me like that! I am your teammate!"

"You are a judgmental little girl."

"What in the world would make you say that?"

"The mere fact that you view something as complex as a terrorist group in black and white makes you just as blind and foolish as you believe the White Fang was!"

At this point, everyone was more than a little put off.

"So you admit it! The White Fang is just a radical group of terrorists!"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it!" Their voices faded as their fight led them from the dining room.

After a few seconds of silence, Nora spoke up. "Anyone want dessert?"

/-/-/-/

Blake's argument with Weiss continued well into the evening. The moon had risen and they still showed no sign of stopping. "I don't understand why this is causing such a problem!" Weiss exclaimed.

"That is the problem," Blake countered. "There's no such thing as pure evil! Why do you think they hated humanity so much? It's because of people like Thrush, people like you, that forced the White Fang to take such drastic measures!"

"People like me?"

"You're discriminatory!"

"I'm a victim!" The room went silent as the two stared each other down. Weiss leaned in and lowered her voice. "You want to know why I despise the White Fang?" She walked over to the window and leaned against it. "It's because they were at war with my family for years. War, as in actual bloodshed.

"My father's company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember and ever since I was a child; I've watched family members disappear, branch members executed, entire mining establishments burned to the ground... And every day, my father would come home furious. And that made for a very difficult childhood."

Ruby went over to comfort her. "Weiss, I—"

"No!" Weiss turned away from her and stalked up to Blake until they were nearly face-to-face. "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? It's because they were a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!"

"Well, maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!" Blake's words stunned the room, silencing Weiss with shock. Realizing what she'd just said, she backed towards the door, looking around the room. "I… I…"

Ruby reached out to her. "Blake, wait! Come back!" But it was too late. She had already gone.

Yang put down her comb and chased after her—their roles reversed from just five days earlier.

/-/-/-/

Blake ran passed The Light of Beacon, as they'd named the ruin, and stood on the edge of the cliff. The Emerald Forest was home to demons, animals, and shadows. Would her friends think she should join them now that they knew her closest kept secret? Would Yang? She didn't feel like finding out.

Tears came to her eyes—she didn't want her time with everyone to be over. When she was in the White Fang, she made a point of not getting close to anyone… but she wasn't the same person she used to be.

She took off her bow and let it catch on the night air, drifting down into the forest below. She didn't need it anymore.

No sooner had she done this than she heard footsteps approaching. "Hey there, Blakey." Nausea hit at the sound and she froze, searching for an escape route. She wasn't ready to hear it. She didn't want Yang to be here. There were so many things the she could say… how could she answer? Blake hadn't told anyone because she was afraid of the response. She still was. They might have been fine with Sun, but he was just a thief. She was a murderer… a monster.

Yang only asked her one thing. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Stunned, Blake turned and wiped at her eyes with a sardonic breath of laughter. "Not really…"

Yang walked up next to her, unaffected. "Oh, alright. I'll stay right here, okay?" She sat on the edge of the cliff, feet dangling off the side.

Blake was dumbfounded. No anger? No more questions? How…

Yang focused on the moon. "I don't care what they think, Blake. I'm not going to leave you."

"But… why?"

"Because, I don't care about what you've done in the past and I love that you're a Faunus—it's who you are."

"Yang..." Blake's cheeks colored. No one had said that to her in a long time and she certainly wasn't expecting it. Then again, she was only ever pleasantly surprised with Yang.

"You're someone I care about. Nothing can change that, Blakey," Yang smiled.

She realized she'd been missing something this whole time. She thought that because Yang was a human and she was a Faunus, their bond was just a gilded piece of glass seconds from shattering. Clearly, she'd been mistaken about what it really meant. Emboldened, she sat down next to Yang and began her story. "Yang… are you familiar with the Black Fang?"

"I've heard about them. Didn't they exist before the White Fang?"

"Even after the ant-Faunus laws were lifted, society still saw us as second class citizens. After years of violent acts against our race, the Black Fang formed as a group intent on bringing the Faunus together. They made villages excluding humans and began to return hate crimes. Their ultimate goal was to resurrect the Kingdom of the Faunus."

"What happened to them?"

"Many members of the Black Fang didn't agree with returning the violence. That was when the White Fang was formed… I was once a member of the White Fang. I was a member for most of my life, actually." Blake stared out over the cliff as she went through her memories. "Back then, things were different. In contrast to the Black Fang, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and unity between humans and the Faunus."

"So, they weren't always…"

Blake shook her head. "Humanity still thought of us as lesser beings and so, the White Fang rose up as the voice of our people. And I was there. I was at the front of every rally. I took part in every boycott. I actually thought we were making a difference. But I was just a youthful optimist.

"The nobles only cooperated with us to discourage the Black Fang members and it worked. The White Fang's membership soared while the Black Fang was just a distant memory… But when the Black Fang's violent attacks stopped, the humans stopped listening.

"Then, five years ago, the unhappiness of our members forced our leader to step down… and the new leader who took his place was an ex Black Fang member. Suddenly, our peaceful protests were being replaced with organized attacks.

"We were setting fire to facilities that used Faunus labor, assassinating human nobles and leaders. And the worst part was, it was working. We were being treated like equals. But not out of respect… out of fear."

Yang was stunned. "Wow…"

"About seven months ago, a group of human assassins destroyed the White Fang headquarters and took out our leaders. I escaped to Forever Fall, and that was where you found me.

"I know it was wrong and I should have left sooner… I didn't share the Black Fang's views… but I didn't know the original White Fang's views were possible, either. Yang, you showed me that they were. You, and Ruby, and Sun…"

"Blake…"

"There's one more thing I have to tell you. I thought my partner, Adam, died in the attack seven months ago, but I met him back in Vale. He's working with the queen now… He was the one who broke Ruby's arm and did those terrible things to you."

"Wh… What? No way…"

Blake couldn't meet her widened eyes. "You deserved to know this sooner, but I…"

Taking a deep breath, Yang focused on the rising moon. They sat like that for a long time before she spoke again. "Blake, I meant what I said about not leaving. You don't have to be alone… Even if he was your partner in the past, so many things have changed even in the short time since we've known each other… You're different now. We all are."

Tears welled in Blake's eyes for happier reasons. "Okay."

Yang nodded. "Are you ready to go back?"

Taking a deep breath, Blake nodded. "Yeah." When they neared the door to Beacon, they saw Sun and Ruby waiting for them.

"Yang! Blake!" Ruby ran up to them.

"Hey there, Rubes!" Yang beamed.

"Hey, guys!" Sun walked over to them. "I knew you'd look better without the bow," he said to Blake.

"You knew I was a Faunus?" she gasped.

"It's a gift. Anyway, welcome back! We weren't sure if you'd return, but everyone's waiting in the family room."

"Yeah," Ruby seconded. She turned towards Blake. "Wow, kitty ears! And, they're actually kind of cute!"

Blake's ears turned to the sides in embarrassment. "Thanks…"

"Come on, I'm pretty sure Ren and Nora made snacks!" Ruby exclaimed.

"But, what about Weiss?" Yang questioned.

"I'm sure she'll understand. After all, Blake's already proven we can trust her."

"And if not, we'll make her," Sun elaborated.

Ruby narrowed her eyes with a devilish grin. "Yeah. We'll make her."

/-/-/-/

They sat in the family room, listening to Blake's story. Yang was next to her, Ruby on the other side. Once she had finished the tale, she turned to Weiss amongst the stupefied crowd. "Weiss, I want you to know that I'm no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was with the—"

"Stop! Do you have any idea of what we've been through?"

"I know the White Fang targeted your family, but—"

"That's not what I meant! I meant the people in this room! We've gone through a lot. That means I've had a lot of opportunities to size up your character. And from what I've observed, I've decided…"

The room waited with baited breath.

"I don't care," she finished.

Blake was surprised. "You don't care?"

"She doesn't care?" Jaune echoed.

Weiss glared at him and continued. "You said you left and didn't agree with them, right?"

"Yes, I—I never believed that—"

"Stop! I don't want to hear it."

Blake blinked at the unexpected interruption and looked around the room.

"I can't say I agree with what you've done in the past… but I agree with what you're doing now," Pyrrha said.

"That explains how you knew about aura," Neptune noted.

"Did you get to blow stuff up?" Nora demanded excitedly.

"Nora!" Ren shushed her.

Jaune shrugged like it was no big deal. "I'm with everyone else."

"Just because you were partners with Adam doesn't mean you're the same," Ruby reasoned. "I mean, just look at me and Weiss."

"Hey!" Weiss was not amused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can't believe you were in the White Fang…" Sun said. "But, we've all done stuff we aren't proud of. You said you didn't agree with them, so I'm cool with it. You're different now."

Yang beamed and gave her thumbs-up.

Blake never dreamed she could gain such support. Even among the Faunus.

"All I want to know is that the next time something this big comes up… you'll tell us sooner," Weiss told her.

Blake wiped away a tear and nodded. "Of course."

Weiss in turn smiled and nodded as well.

There was a moment of soft silence before Ruby jumped up, pumping her fists and shouting, "Yeah! Team Recruitment is back together!"

/-/-/-/

The next day, Blake and Yang cloaked themselves, mounted Bumblebee, and rode into Vale. There were three places they had to go to and the five day rule applied. Before all that, Yang wanted to pay a visit to Tukson to thank him for helping out Ruby and Weiss. When they neared the store, they saw a crowd standing outside. "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen the bakery this busy. Good for him."

Without warning, a crowd member threw a torch through the window, lighting everything on fire.

"I don't think they're here for business," Blake said lowly. She and Yang ran through the crowd to see what was going on, and there, on a table in the shattered window, lay a severed hand with long claws.

"A White Fang member hiding in plain sight!" a crowd member marveled. The same thing was painted in blood on the walls of the bakery. "Would you look at that. Glad they got him."

Yang was sick. "Tukson…"

Blake grabbed her arm. "Yang, we should go."

The crowd started to throw more things at the house.

"Now!"

Snapping to her senses, Yang followed her away from the crowd. "I can't believe they did that to him!" She slammed a fist into the side of a wall, eyes a blazing red.

"It didn't look like the people in the crowd were the ones who did it."

"If I find out who did…" She stood there for a while in an angry silence. Eventually, she dipped her head, carmine returning to lilac. "Tukson was a good guy."

"Yang…"

Yang took a deep breath. This was why she was going to destroy Cinder. "Come on. Region six is across the city." They traveled until they reached the slums in sector six. Past the guard outpost Sun said he used to live in was a small area with deserted-looking shacks. They counted down five on the left side and knocked with a three-four-three pattern. After the tenth knock, a Faunus came to the door. "Uh, hi. We're here to see the elder," Yang said.

The Faunus stared blankly at them until Blake removed her hood. "We're with you."

Taking one look at her ears, the greeter turned aside. "In here. Everyone's hiding from the patrols underground." Underneath a floorboard was a ladder leading downwards. The lower they descended, the worse conditions became. It smelled of disease and there were groans of hunger and thirst. It became harder and harder to go on and and bear the pleading looks. There were two rooms underground and they were lead to the second one. "The elder stays in here."

"Thank you," Yang murmured.

Upon opening the door, they were greeted by an old woman with sharp fangs and painted whiskers. She laughed. "Hello there! What can I do for ye? Shelter? Food and water? I've only got shelter!"

"Actually," Blake began. "We're with the prince's rebellion. We seek your aid in the coming fight."

"Are you the White Fang? Git! We have no use for yew around here! Bring nothing but trouble… Last thing I need is some idiot tellin' me I gotta start fighting. We've been fighting every day since we were born and yew know it!"

"Prince Neptune isn't with the White Fang," Yang explained.

"Oh, really? Well, what makes you think an old bag of skin and bones like me would be good at fighting? Not much around here but skin and bones!" the elder cackled.

Blake's voice was quiet. "You have aura."

The elder stopped laughing immediately, dropping the facade. She narrowed her eyes at Blake. "What did you say your name was?"

"Blake."

"Oh, and I'm Yang."

The elder frowned. "What are you two fools doing with aura? Where're you from, anyway?"

"I'm from around here," Yang said. "And Blake's from Forever Fall."

"Don't lie to me." She turned to Blake. "What's your full name, girl? Where are you really from?"

"Blake... Belladonna." She winced as she said it.

"Well, aren't you just the cream of the cats!" The elder laughed then emitted a long, taxing sigh. "But, you didn't come to me as a Belladonna, you came to me as Blake. So, Blake, a human and a Faunus come in and ask for my help. Where will that get my people?"

"You knew I was a human?" Yang asked in surprise.

"It's in the way you walk, girl. The way you hold your shoulders like they haven't held any weight. Not like the ones we have to bear," the elder accused. "Now, tell me quick before you bring more trouble. What false promises do you bear to us?"

Blake stepped forward. "The promises we offer aren't false. I swear to you on my name. Elder, we want your help in the rebellion to free the kingdom from this tyrannical rule."

"And what comes after that? Carols and equality? Girl, if I had a meal for every time someone's promised me this chicken shit, I'd be bigger than Remnant itself!"

Yang turned to her partner. "Sun said she'd be hard to convince…"

"You know Sun?"

"I thought people's hearing got worse when they aged!" she whispered.

Blake elbowed her to shut her up.

The elder laughed, tone changing drastically. She was obviously very fond of Sun. "Boy's done a lot for us. I helped him out when he was just a little one. He's been paying us back ever since. I taught him some good thieving! Never much about aura, though... And he agreed to help you, Blake?"

"He did," she confirmed. "He's friends with the prince."

The elder eyed them for a long time. "I trust Sun and Sun trusts you, so fine. You want our support, you have it. Fifty starving Faunus and an old lady witch." After a moment, she grumbled, "Nothing will change around here unless we try something, anyway."

Yang smiled. "Thank you, Ma'am. You won't have hide down here for long."

"Yeah, I might die waiting for the signal," the elder said, effectively raining on the parade. "Listen here, girl. We don't want your pity. We want the chance to hold our own. Now, don't go forgetting that."

"Y...Yes, Ma'am."

"And, don't go thinking that just because I'm helping you out I want to see you two ever again. I don't."

"Uh... Okay...?"

The elder turned to Blake. "And, you, Blake. Don't go forgetting what we are—where we're from."

Blake's expression was serious. "I never will."

After they'd left and made their way to the outskirts of the city, Yang nudged her and smirked. "'Cream of the cats'?"

"Yang," Blake warned.

"What? That was great!"

She rolled her eyes.

"Who are the Belladonnas, anyway?"

"My family has been diplomats in Menagerie for generations..."

"Whoa, you grew up in Menagerie?"

"Yeah, but I left when I joined the White Fang. My family disowned me for it."

"Oh... Well, you've got Ruby and me," Yang reminded. "And Sun, and Neptune, and Pyrrha, and Jaune, and Nora and Ren... and Weiss, I guess, but I think I'd prefer it if she estranged us."

Blake laughed in full agreement. "Thanks, Yang. I really feel at home with everyone."

"Even Weiss?"

"Everyone else," Blake corrected.

Yang laughed as they rounded the corner to Bartholomew Oobleck's house. They knocked on the door and he let them inside, eager to hear what they had to say so he could get back to writing another manuscript. He was surprisingly receptive to the concept that witches didn't exist. He said something about his work pointing in that direction and was grateful they provided him the final piece to the puzzle.

After accepting the money he owed her from the quest seemingly so long ago and a copy of his first manuscript, Yang explained the situation. Of course, he declined their invitation at first, but she knew how to get him. Exchanging a look with Blake, she began her calculated act. Yang shook her head sadly. "That's too bad."

"One can't do it all," Oobleck rushed in his usual manner.

"He's right, Yang," Blake agreed.

"Well, thanks anyway."

"You're welcome, Ms. Xiao Long. And, please do read the manuscript. I went through great lengths to get you a copy."

Yang continued like she hadn't heard him. "I mean, what does history have to do with a rebellion, anyway?"

For the first time since they'd been there, Oobleck stopped. He wheeled on the adventurer. "Why, what a preposterous question, you silly girl! History is the backbone of our very society! And the liver! Probably the kidneys, if I were to wager!"

"But, we'll win anyway. Why would we have to consult the ancient ruins near the mansion, or investigate the secret of Dust, or know about the powers our ancestors may have had?" she asked innocently.

Blake answered. "It really doesn't matter when reforming the kingdom, anyway. We don't need old ideas to make new ones."

Oobleck looked as if he had been stabbed by their feigned ignorance. In roughly two seconds, he sped around his house, gathered his items, and ran back over with a bag. "Ladies! You may be resilient, but it is clear you still need guidance! From this point forward, I offer my council should you so choose to accept it!"

"I'm just not sure…" Yang wasn't giving up the act yet.

"I might add that I am a very capable strategist!"

"Well, we do need one of those…"

Blake nodded. "If he doesn't mind staying in the servant's quarters…"

"I shall regard it as my private study!" he exclaimed.

The two partners turned to themselves, sharing a sly smile, before accepting his help.

/-/-/-/

The final place they had to go to was a tavern. Sir Peter Port sat at the counter on his fifth drink of the afternoon. When Yang next to her he easily recognized her even though she was cloaked. Glancing around, he led them to a back table and spoke lowly with the scent of alcohol on his breath. "Yang!" He greeted casually. "What brings you here? You're a wanted woman!"

"You do know I was accused of being a witch, right?" Yang had been expecting a little more hostility.

"Please. Magic has existed for centuries! When I was a young lad…" He went off into a story. By the end of it, Yang had at least three drinks in her and was laughing along with him.

"No way! It froze an entire horse?" she snorted in disbelief.

"Right to the ears!" They kept laughing.

Blake decided to be the voice of reason and pulled them back. "Sir Port, about why we're here…" She looked at Yang expectantly.

"Oh, yeah!" Yang explained the situation.

"Of course I'd be happy to help! As a young knight, I loved nothing more than the feel of battle! Oh, to have at it again! Some of my friends would be happy to join in, too. I will write to them when I get to this Beacon you speak of."

"You're coming to Beacon?" Yang waved her hands in front of her. "You don't need to."

"Yang, the ale here is terrible! I hear Nora's with you?"

"She is."

"Then to Beacon I shall go! My horse and axe are for your cause. But first, a song!" He got up and bellowed, "OH!" The rest of the bar cheered and joined in.

Yang, being drunk, also joined in the tavern song.

Blake couldn't believe this was happening… but it was a pretty catchy tune.

When they left the tavern, Yang slurred to her, "You should have sung the last song with us, Blakeyy!"

"I don't know any tavern songs."

Yang gasped and put a hand to her chest dramatically. "This is an outrage!"

"I'll learn some later," Blake shushed. If Yang spoke any louder, she'd attract attention from the guards.

"Uh-uh. We're fixing this right now, Blake." Yang slung an arm around her and began to hum with no particular rhythm. "I can't hear you, Blake!" she called after the first round. "C'mon, the chorus is easy!"

"Yang, no," Blake said flatly.

"I know you can sing," Yang continued, refusing to give up. "You hum all the time when you cook." She staggered to the side, and Blake nearly lost her balance.

"Yang, let me go!" she exclaimed, embarrassed by both the situation and being caught humming.

"Not until you sing the chorus!"

Heaving a great sigh, Blake started muttering the first line.

"I still can't hear you," Yang sang.

Blake upped her volume. By the end of the road, the two were laughing their way through the last verse. The guard let the "drunkards" through their checkpoint without a problem. After finishing the tavern song, Yang demanded Blake teach her a song as well.

They passed the time like this until Sir Port and Oobleck met them outside of the city a couple of hours later with their horses and bags. Seeing as the rebellion's two newest members balanced each other's personalities out, the trip back to Beacon was surprisingly pleasant.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: ***clears throat* _Oh~!_

**NEXT: **The Last Day of Spring


	23. The Last Day of Spring

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Last Day of Spring)

Everyone was very surprised when double the number of people who left Beacon returned to it. For the first time since they'd been there, all twelve seats at the dining room table were filled.

"Ugh, you brought grown-ups?" Ruby groaned.

Yang put a hand to her mouth. "Shh!"

Port laughed. "You'll find we're far from the boring individuals in Vale."

"When it comes to the fight, you'll need someone older than yourselves looking out for you," Oobleck reasoned.

"You can fight?" Ruby asked, astonished.

"I admit I fancy myself more of an intellectual, but I've had my fair share of tussles."

"Like the mushroom?"

"Those are truffles," Blake whispered.

"Like the sprout?"

"Those are Brussels," Yang did the same.

Oobleck continued. "Besides, given my expertise in the field of history as well as my dabblings in archaeological surveys and strategy, I'd say I'm well fit for this."

"Well, welcome to the rebellion," Neptune greeted formally.

Peter straightened. "Thank you, My Prince! We'd be glad to help in any area you need us. Specifically, training!" There was a pause. "And ale tasting!"

Weiss slapped a palm to her face, obviously not pleased with their newest members. Team Recruitment would be getting an earful that night.

"Okay. Tomorrow, let's take the chance to send off all the letters we wrote. Anyone want to go to town?" Neptune looked around the table.

"I'll go," Ruby offered.

Weiss also volunteered. Neither of them wanted to stick around.

"Ah, the readiness of youth!" Port reminisced. "Bartholomew and I will be spending most of our time in our quarters. Feel free to call upon us if you must."

After dinner, the first thing Weiss said to Yang was, "You're gone for five days and this is what you bring back?"

Yang was sure it would work out.

/-/-/-/

Night fell quickly, obsidian sky and ethereal starlight pulling Beacon into a familiar and endearing embrace. For Yang, it was simple beauty she was not looking forward to tearing apart, but Ruby deserved to know about Tukson.

Tukson, who had been a family friend for years.

Tukson, who never missed a birthday with free cookies.

Tukson, who was a Faunus.

Tukson, who was murdered by the government.

With Weiss and Blake out of the room, it was the perfect chance to speak to Ruby alone. Thus, here Yang was, taking a deep breath before knocking on the door. "Hello? Ruby?"

The door opened a moment later. "Yang? What's up? You don't need to knock, you know." Ruby was sorting the letters on her bed. Ever since Yang broke the table, the beds and the floor had been the most popular places to work.

"Uh, well, actually, I was just wondering if this was a good time."

"Yeah, I was just going through the letters for tomorrow." Ruby narrowed her eyes, sensing something was amiss. "Why...?" Yang walked inside and closed the door softly, the unusual behavior only adding to Ruby's unease. "Okay, I'm a little worried, Sis. The last time this happened, you—"

Weiss strode into the room, effectively destroying the mood. "Ruby, I wanted to speak to you about the letters—"

"Not now, Weiss, this is important!" Ruby fumed.

Weiss looked from her to Yang and back again. "Well, so is this."

"No, important as in really important. Not Weiss important!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Weiss huffed.

"It means Yang was about to tell me something before you just barged in and so you should wait!"

"Fine, go ahead," she conceded, taking a seat on her bed and drying the parts of her hair that were still damp from her bath.

"She was going to tell me alone," Ruby pointed out. "Right, Yang?"

Suddenly not feeling like talking about Tukson at all, Yang moved towards her bed, faking a yawn. "You know what? It can wait until tomorrow."

Ruby was not to be dissuaded. "Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure Weiss is just going to tell me that Sun put the wrong seals on the letters."

Weiss stopped drying out her hair. "How did you know that?"

Ruby waved it off. "Oh, come on, Weiss, it wasn't that hard to figure out."

"Right, well, as long as you know, we can sort the piles later. What was it you wanted to talk about, Yang?"

"Weiss, I told you Yang wanted to talk to me alone."

"We're a team, aren't we? Whatever she has to say, she can say in front of me."

"You might be my partner, but you're not my sister."

Weiss rolled her eyes, but stood up anyway. "I'm going to get a glass of water. I'll be back in five minutes." The door closed and her footsteps faded down the hall.

"Right, so, um, what did you want to say?" Ruby asked.

Yang sighed, knowing she could but shouldn't escape this. She sat next to her. "It's… about Tukson."

"What… about him?"

"He's actually a Faunus."

Ruby's eyes widened. "Really? Wow… He blended in so well! How did he do that?"

"Retractable claws."

"Oh, well, it's not like that changes the fact that he's a good person. Was that it?"

Yang looked at her somberly.

"It isn't, is it?" Ruby whispered.

"No… The truth is… Cinder… probably had him murdered. When Blake and I got to Vale, his shop was covered in blood. They cut off his arm and… I think they found out about you and Weiss."

"No…"

"I wish it wasn't true, but…"

Tears brimmed in Ruby's eyes. "You thought this could wait until tomorrow?"

"I just… wanted you to have one more night. I'm sorry."

Ruby shook her head, but all words were cut off by sobs. Yang pulled her into a hug, smoothing her hair, rocking them back and forth, and whispering uncertain promises like they were laws of nature.

/-/-/-/

Weiss came back the promised five minutes later with the glass of water she didn't really need. Just as she was about to open the thick wooden door, Blake returned from whatever training she liked to do alone and stopped her. "Wait."

"What?"

"Give them some time." Her second set of ears were angled towards the room.

Weiss was about to object when the tiniest of noises made her stop. Sobs from beyond the door.

If she remembered correctly, Neptune said she could find the correct seal and extra envelopes in his office.

/-/-/-/

Weiss dismounted Bumblebee, having successfully won the right to ride them into an inconspicuous area near the village. "Hurry up! You're wasting time!" she ordered Ruby.

"Right…"

At the lackluster answer, Weiss couldn't help but feel like something was horribly wrong. In fact, ever since last night, Ruby had been… not herself. It reminded her of when Yang was in prison. "Well, try and keep up. We can't stay here that long," she said a little softer, keeping an icy blue eye on her as they walked through the small town to the courier's office. "It'll just be a moment," she promised when they reached it. She went into the office then poked her head back out, looking skeptical. "You'd better be here when I get back."

"Okay."

After a slightly stunned pause at the lack of a retort, Weiss walked into the courier's office. Ten minutes later, she came out and Ruby hadn't moved in inch. She waited quietly as Weiss approached, which miffed her. "Let's go," she ordered curtly, turning on her heel to walk back towards the horse. When Ruby tried to mount it, Weiss stopped her. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Getting on the horse."

"We're not leaving until you tell me what's wrong with you." Ruby gazed at her for a moment. In that time, Weiss had grabbed the lunch Ren packed and sat down, motioning for Ruby to sit with her.

"Tukson's dead."

Weiss stopped unpacking the food. She had actually liked Tukson and his cookies, though she wasn't much for sweets. Before she had recovered, Ruby had taken the time to start mounting the horse again.

"Get back down here!"

"I already told you what was wrong with me."

"We're still not leaving."

"Why not, Weiss?"

Weiss frowned, trying to think of a reason herself. Of course, after thinking of it came articulating it, which was harder. She crossed arms her in thought. "You are certainly childish… and dim-witted… And I suppose I can be a bit difficult, but we are partners. Honestly, I'm worried your mood will undermine your performance."

"It won't." Ruby continued to mount the horse.

"Ruby Rose, listen to me!"

"I did." Ruby sighed. "Weiss, let's face it. I don't like you and you don't like me, and I'm not sure how Yang feels, but she probably hates you, and you and Blake aren't exactly friends… I think the only person who likes you is Jaune."

Weiss screwed up her face.

"You only care about my performance, right? If you don't care about me then let's just go, because I promise I'm going to be there when the queen goes down. Tukson's dead, Weiss. He's… He's dead, and Yang almost died, and lots of people are dying back in Vale, so I'm going to be there to set it right. That's why we're here, Weiss. At least, that's why I'm here. So, stop trying to be my superior and let's just go back already."

How was Weiss supposed to respond to that? After opening and closing her mouth a couple of times, she packed up lunch and rode them back to Vale without a word.

/-/-/-/

When the two returned to Beacon, they found humongous crates stacked outside the mansion. Ruby couldn't even see the door behind it all. "It seems my father's shipment arrived while we were gone," Weiss thought aloud as if the huge crates were no big deal. Ever since they dropped off the letters, she'd been speaking in a more subdued tone. When they entered the mansion, more boxes were in the mudroom.

"Hey, ladies," Jaune greeted her as he tuned his lute at the dining room table. "A note came for you with the boxes, Snow Angel." He slid the note across the table with a sloppy wink.

Weiss rolled her eyes at the pass, but picked up the note and unfolded it. It read:

_Weiss:_

_Here is the Dust you requested. When you settle into your new branch, I am confident you'll return my investment. Your reputation as a Schnee depends upon it._

_ -Your Father_

Jaune tried to scrounge up a conversation. "Sorry, I read it first. It seems like a thinly veiled threat to me. Your family is pretty passive-aggressive, you know that?"

Yang entered the room. "Now we know where she gets it from… but she could work on the passive side."

"Hey, Yang."

"Hey, Jaune." They waited. "Umm… Weiss? You're not going to say anything about what I just said...? Weiss? Hello? Is this a new tactic? Because it's kind of working…"

Weiss simply closed the note walked upstairs.

Not a minute later, Blake entered the dining room. "What happened to Weiss? She was smiling."

Yang drew back in horror. "Smiling? As in Weiss being happy?"

Blake's grim silence was their answer.

Yang picked up the note and read it. "Um, I think this is supposed to be good news?" She wasn't too sure.

Blake went read it as well. "It looks like her father is going to let her own a branch of the company."

"I thought that happened anyway?"

"The SDC operates differently from most modern companies. You have to earn a branch."

"Is that what she was doing in the guard?"

"Probably."

"Huh…" Yang turned to Ruby. "Wanna read it?"

"No… I think I'm going to head out for a while."

"Oh… okay."

Blake gave Yang a quizzical look after she left.

"She's taking Tukson's death really hard. He was like family," Yang explained.

Jaune questioned after strumming his perfectly tuned lute then froze. "Wait… Tukson's dead?" Apparently, it had taken a moment to sink in.

"Yeah."

"Oh…" He fell silent for a moment before getting up. "I should go tell the others."

After the door to the family room had closed, Blake asked, "Is there anything I can do for her?"

Yang shook her head. "Let's give her some time. I'll talk to her later."

/-/-/-/

As it always does, later eventually came. When Ruby failed to show up for dinner, Yang packed some food and headed for the door.

"Hey, Yang, wait a second," Neptune called from the head of the table.

"We heard about your friend back in Vale," Sun continued. "I knew him too—I mean, I just saw him around sometimes. I think he was a puma Faunus."

"Anyway, we wanted to do something to honor him since he's the first official casualty of the rebellion."

"Yeah, and he was a good guy," Sun chimed.

Nora stood up, her chair sent back violently behind her. "We decided to bake cookies!"

"Ren decided to bake cookies," Pyrrha clarified. "We're going to hold a memorial tonight."

"More food's on its way tomorrow!" Nora answered the question of resources. With how things have been recently, cookies tonight could have meant fruit and salted meat for a week "Sooooo, go get Ruby and bring her back here! Oh, but not right now. We have to make the cookies first."

"We're going to meet at The Light of Beacon later," Blake provided.

"You have my word that our comrade shall get the service he deserves. It's the least we could do!" Sir Port thundered. "I have a holy book with my belongings—"

"Actually," Sun interjected, " he was a Faunus, so…"

"Don't read the holy book," Blake finished.

"If I remember correctly, the Faunus have their own memorials. Perhaps he would have prefered one of those?" Oobleck inquired.

"Then, what song should I play?" Jaune's brow furrowed in thought.

Blake shook her head. "It's impossible to tell. Each group of Faunus has different customs. We don't know which one, if any, he belonged to."

"Let's just keep it simple," Neptune offered.

Yang stood near the door, smiling warmly. "Thanks, everyone. I'll go let her know."

/-/-/-/

Yang found Ruby sitting on the staircase, looking out into the Emerald Forest. "Ruby?"

"Yeah?" She looked totally drained.

"You doing okay? I brought some food…"

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry…"

"Oh, alright." Yang sat next to her, shoving the food behind them and out of sight. "How are you feeling, Rubes?" she tried again.

Ruby sighed. "Honestly? Not very good."

Yang nodded.

"I mean, I told Weiss about Tukson and she wasn't even sad. If I told her he was a Faunus, she might not have cared at all."

"Well, you know how she is. She looks at everything in black and Weiss."

Ruby offered a breath of laughter in recognition of the joke, "Come on, Yang, that wasn't funny… Even if it was kind of true."

Yang nudged her. "Really? Because I think we both know it was hilarious."

"Yang," she groaned, spirit partially lifted. Then, the mood dropped again as she started thinking, feet swinging in midair below them. "Tukson was like family to us. He's dead, and I know not everyone will survive in the rebellion, but I just… I don't know, it just makes everything a lot more…"

"Real?"

"Yeah. I know it wasn't my fault, but I feel guilty. If Weiss and I hadn't stayed there…"

"Maybe, maybe not," Yang said rather vaguely.

Ruby sighed again. "And maybe Weiss is right. Maybe I am acting childish. Maybe I was never serious about this to begin with."

"Ruby, we both know that isn't true."

"But, I just feel like maybe she was right! I didn't even think about any of this! I didn't know it would be so serious!"

"I don't think any of us did, Ruby… Some things, you just can't prepare for." Yang rubbed the back of her neck before continuing. "When I used my aura during my trial and when I joined this rebellion—even when I'm jumping into a dangerous quest, I don't know everything that's going to happen. It's impossible to… But, I don't regret any of it. I don't regret saving you or becoming an outcast to save Vale. That unknown makes life worth living, you know? If you knew exactly what was going to happen next, would it be worth living right here and right now?"

"But… I just…"

"We all knew the risks going into this and, unfortunately, some of the risks we took ended badly. Even so, we're all still here. Tukson knew the risks too, but he still helped you. Ruby, don't say that you're not as good or as serious as anyone here. It isn't true. You're the bee's knees, and I'm proud of you."

Ruby trained her gaze on her knees for a very long time. "Thanks, Yang," she said quietly. "That made me feel a little better…" After a moment, she furrowed her brow and clenched her fists. "We're going to bring down Cinder together."

"You know we will."

They listened to the gradually softening bird calls from the forest below. The sky darkened as the sun continued its daily trek across the sky. "How are _you_ feeling, Yang?" Ruby asked.

Yang's eyes widened and she stiffened a bit. "Me? Oh, uh… I'm fine. Thanks."

Silver studied lilac.

"I'm fine, Ruby, seriously. Are you sure you aren't hungry?"

/-/-/-/

Weiss watched the candlelit memorial service, eventually dragging her gaze down to the shortbread cookie in her hand. She felt like she didn't belong here. It reminded her of sitting at her father's dinner parties. She didn't know when, but somehow since she'd known her, Ruby had gotten under her skin.

Weiss didn't want to admit it, but what Ruby had said earlier hurt her feelings. Mostly because it was true. Weiss wasn't stupid… she knew she wasn't especially liked around here and she knew she caused a lot of problems for Yang in the past, she just tried not to think about it.

She didn't think about it because above all, she knew she was particularly bad at dealing with her emotions. She'd been taught to deny her humanity and rule with an iron fist, so she ignored the dull pang in her heart when she learned of Tukson's death, and even now, she was going through tomorrow's priorities in her mind while they held his memorial…

When she'd heard that she earned a branch of the SDC, she felt extremely happy. It had been her goal since she was knee-high…

But if she dug deep enough, she knew that living like she did and shutting her emotions out in search of perfection wasn't truly fulfilling. Being surrounded by mirrors—trapped in a glass case—wasn't what she wanted. Being with Ruby and the others had helped her see that.

But, she couldn't make what she'd done just go away, she still wanted to own a branch of the company, and she couldn't increase her emotional intelligence overnight.

Still…

Weiss took a small bite of the shortbread cookie.

/-/-/-/

Two months went by. Everyone trained their auras and readied themselves for the coming fight, weapons and armor were shipped in from other kingdoms, Nora's mom kept them stocked with food, and every so often, they got a letter from Ozpin about new guards on the side of the rebellion. Sir Port and Oobleck proved indispensable. Their teachings and insights were much needed and well appreciated.

Eventually, it was time. Everyone was ready.

They held one last feast at Beacon. "We've really bonded and improved during our time here," Prince Neptune began his speech. "Though, our enemies have been improving too. It won't be easy, but tomorrow, we'll return the light to Vale."

"Yeah, we've become a real Beacon of hope," Yang commented after their cheers died down, drawing a boo from Nora, a snicker from Ruby, and a few groans.

Neptune continued his speech. "Team Management, thank you for the food and training tonight and all the nights we've been here."

"No problem!" Nora saluted.

"Team Recruitment, thank you for getting a backing for the rebellion."

"We're happy to help," Weiss said. "Though some of us were more helpful than others."

"Weiss!" Ruby glared.

"I didn't mention any names," she said innocently. "Unless you were admitting to something?"

Ruby grumbled as Neptune moved on. "Sir Port, Oobleck, thank you for teaching us."

"Not a problem, My Prince! The ale was superb!" Sir Port raised his mug.

"And, Sun, thanks for telling me about the situation of the Faunus. I promise to make sure their conditions improve when I'm king."

"It's cool, man. C'mon, let's eat already. I'm starving!"

Everyone laughed.

"Okay, let's eat," Neptune relented. "When this is over, I'll have a longer speech."

The plan was simple. The Faunus would drive an attack from the port to draw attention. Then, a second front consisting of Team Management, Sir Port, and Oobleck would go straight for the castle. Its sole goal to get Team Recruitment, Sun, and Neptune inside. The guard would slow the progress of the army by forming disadvantageous blockades and running false reports. Anyone who wished to fight was given a weapon. Because of Cinder's injustices, they hoped many would step forward.

No one said goodbye before the attack, but "See you later" was often said. In order to make good time, they traveled through the night after dinner and took turns resting on the carts. Not many could sleep, though. The adrenaline ran too high.

The time they'd been waiting for was here.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN:** Get ready for the rebellion! Four action-packed chapters to go until we start wrapping this story up! I hope you're equipped to handle this *sly smirk*.

**NEXT: **A Friend in the Rebellion


	24. A Friend in the Rebellion

~~AAAND START!~~ (A Friend in the Rebellion)

After night had fallen and the most of the kingdom was asleep, a Shining arrow was shot into the sky, signaling the Faunus to begin their attack. The guard relayed the message of the raid, saying at least one hundred Faunus had taken the docks and were slowly moving out—many of them with magic. Then, to be "helpful," they set up a series of blockades behind the army troops to prevent the terrorists from getting to the castle.

By the time the army realized there was only half the described number of Faunus, it was too late. The the real rebellion had already gotten within half a mile of the castle. Of course, they failed to show their faces until they were stopped, but the parade of cloaks had the town on edge. Especially with the trails of smoke and occasional explosions from the docks.

"Halt. Who goes there?" a soldier demanded.

The group disconnected the weapon carts from the horses.

Neptune stepped forward. "I have business with the queen."

"Turn your party back around. The queen is not seeing anyone."

Neptune removed his cloak. "That's too bad… because this is really important." At his last words, he called out his aura and drew his guandao.

After his initial shock, the soldier began to yell, "Th… The rebel prince is here!" But he and his partner were cut down before they could attract too much attention.

Neptune turned to face the few civilian bystanders still in the streets. "You've suffered from the queen for way too long! Arm yourselves and destroy her reign with us! Help build the future my father promised you!"

The commotion drew a sleepy crowd from their homes, but they were so stunned, no one moved.

Neptune flared his aura. "This is a power that exists in all of you!" he continued through their terrified whispers. "If you want to fight, take the weapons. If not, flee the city to avoid the battle!" Without waiting, the party moved on.

By now, the army sector stationed at the castle had heard what was happening and ran to meet them.

"Team Management!" Prince Neptune cued.

Pyrrha ran forwards, pulling out Miló and transforming it into a javelin. She activated her semblance, slowing the heavily armed soldiers down. Then, she ran into the center of the crowd and slammed her weapon into the ground, drawing them to a single point.

Nora was the second to act. She held Magnhild in one hand and created a grenade of aura in the other. "This… is… happening!" she screamed as she threw the pink orb into the crowd of soldiers furthest from them. She hit the first one she saw in the group Pyrrha was controlling and yelled, "Boop!" Both areas exploded.

Ren came in behind her, lotus petals forming into energy blades extending from his axes' handles. Finishing off those affected by the explosions in a clean line, he allowed the rest of the group to move on to the castle.

When the archers had assembled, it was Jaune's turn to shine. He took position in front of his teammates and activated his semblance. A white shield blocked enemy fire.

"Bomb!" Pyrrha called, retrieving her weapon.

Nora created another bomb and stuck it on the tip of the javelin. "Let it fly!"

At that, Pyrrha cast Miló into the castle wall and Nora detonated it, taking out many of the archers. Returning her javelin to her hand with her semblance, Pyrrha and the rest of Team Management faced the remaining troops.

Now that the original shock of facing magic-users had passed, the surviving soldiers were prepared to put up a fight. Team Management was already fairly tired out from their initial attack, but they were determined to hold out for as long as was necessary. Deactivating their semblances, they continued to fight. A thin cloud of Dust formed after some time from the sheer number of spells being cast.

Soon, the army's reinforcements arrived. Sir Port and Oobleck had hung behind for this moment. "Burn." The tip of Oobleck's coffee thermos came to life and he turned the item into a mace. He then lit a metal ball surrounded by oil-soaked cloth on fire and batted it at the oncoming troops. The flaming projectile knocked a soldier down. "Ignite!" As the spell on the metal ball activated, the entire formation fell to the ground in a flaming mess.

Sir Port cut down any who came too close to Team Management with his axe, shouting about the excitement of battle the whole way through. By now, the civilians who had not fled had taken up arms and joined the fight. Some attacked the rebels, others attacked the army. Eventually, the civilians battled more amongst themselves than the original parties.

More waves of soldiers, guards, and brave civilians came. A seemingly unending tide… but the rebels had prepared for this day and nothing would slow them down.

/-/-/-/

The rest of the rebels rode in pairs on the backs of their three horses into the grand court. Volleys of arrows and royal guards came to face them, halting their advance. The royal guard was under direct orders from Cinder herself and was of a different class entirely. Roman led them. "Congrats on getting this far, kids, but I can't let you pass," he revealed. "You see, I actually like having a head on my shoulders… I hope you understand."

Ruby dismounted Oobleck's horse. "I got this."

"Tear them to shreds!" Yang shouted from Bumblebee. Adrenaline saturated her voice, making it clear she was looking forward to battle.

"Fight well," Blake encouraged as the horse rocketed across the clearing.

Weiss hung back for a split second. "Ruby."

Silver locked with steadfast blue.

"You got this." That said, she rode away.

Smirking, Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose. It towered over the guards and quivered slightly in anticipation.

"Let us pass!" Neptune demanded. Sun glaring at their enemies from behind him.

Roman let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head. "Brats just don't listen like they used to…" Waving at the guards, he ordered, "Kill them." A front line ran forward and cast Zero on the ground in the horses' path. It wasn't even worth slowing down for.

Ruby readied herself and activated her semblance, flying past the horses. She broke a path for the remaining teams, taking out a few of guards in the immediate vicinity. In her wake, the others reached the end of the court, dismounted, and rushed inside the castle.

Roman groaned in exasperation, seeing his head on a pike. "We spend all this money on the guards and they can't even..." As Ruby turned around, he collected himself. "Well, Red, how about we play a little game?"

/-/-/-/

A soldier entered General Ironwood's office. "Sir. I have the report you requested on the rebels' movements. Are you ready to receive it?"

Ironwood looked up from a map of the city. "Yes, bring it here."

"Of course, Sir." The soldier walked over to the table and picked up a box from nearby. Inside were little pieces with flags. He took out a few black ones and placed them down on the map. Next, he surrounded them with white pieces. "The Faunus movement is well-contained at the docks." He laid a handful of other pieces on top of the castle. "But Prince Neptune's second front is proving to be difficult to manage. All available troops are being sent there."

"And the guard?"

"No help, Sir. Based on the reports I've been receiving, some are even turning against the kingdom."

Ironwood furrowed his brow in deep thought. "I see."

"Sir, there is one other thing you should know of."

"A third front?"

"No, Sir. Fights among the civilians have broken out here, here, and here." The soldier placed down brown flags in the areas.

"The residential sectors?"

"It seems no class is safe from the outbreaks of violence. Many homes have been destroyed. We believe those who haven't fled already are in danger. I would like troops sent there to put an end to it. What would you have us do, Sir?"

"Send over three sergeants and their troops."

"Yes, Sir. Any other commands?"

General Ironwood was about to answer when another soldier knocked at the door.

"S-Sir! I have urgent news!"

"Come in," he ordered, straightening.

The soldier fumbled with the door before hurrying in. "Region one, sector three is being stormed by a group of rebel civilians! Your home is in danger, Sir!"

Ironwood froze. His first thought was his daughter, who had yet to be evacuated. "How did they get that far?"

"The guards were helping them, Sir!"

Ironwood growled, slamming a fist on the table. "I'm taking two sectors over there. Ready my horse."

The first soldier stopped him. "Are you sure, Sir? The army will be without high command if you enter the field."

"Place command in the hands of the lieutenants. They're trained enough to handle their own regions." He left his office at a brisk pace, the second soldier running ahead to ready his requests. Outside, he mounted his horse.

"Sir! The sectors are joining us en route!"

Hearing this, Ironwood galloped towards his home. He took the path of least resistance, passing by burning buildings, fighting sectors, and blockades. The one hundred soldiers he ordered joined him along the way. Despite the urgency he felt, he slowed his pace so the men could keep up.

When he neared his mansion, he saw his worst fear brought to life. The house had already been broken into. Instead of sending soldiers to check it out, he ran inside himself. The servants were dead. Heart rate rising, he began to shout, "Penny! Penny, where are you?" With no sign of her on the first floor, he sprinted upstairs to the second. The door to his daughter's room had been busted down.

General Ironwood broke into a blinding rage and entered the room, prepared to kill the assaulters… only to find they had already been slain. A group of civilians lay dead on the floor while Penny sat curled into a ball on her bed in the far corner of the room.

"Penny!"

She looked up, tears falling from wide eyes. "Father…"

"What happened here?"

"These people… were not our friends, were they?"

"No, they weren't," the general affirmed as he went to her side. "Did you do this?"

"Yes, I did... I'm a murderer now, aren't I?"

Her words pricked at Ironwood's heart. "No, you're not," he answered quickly. "You did the right thing, Penny." He searched for the right words. "Sometimes, you have to do bad things to protect what you care about. To protect yourself."

"Were these people also doing bad things to protect what they cared about? The voices are sad… they don't think these people were bad." She shook her head. "How come they have to die? I don't understand, Father! One man said he had a daughter. They were like you and me!"

"These rebels were… Penny, they were trying to take your life and give the kingdom to the prince! The prince is a witch and magic... Magic will destroy us all."

"Then, so will I—I killed them with magic!"

Ironwood froze. "What?"

"When these men were about to hurt me, I…" Penny stood up, looking down with clenched fists. "I'm terrible, aren't I? I'm a witch. I can't stay here anymore. I… I have to go. Father, I don't want you to have to kill me. If I go to the castle, maybe you won't have to." She ran past him.

"Penny, wait! Soldiers! Stop her!" His soldiers answered him with screams of alarm. Penny had thrown them aside somehow without touching them and ran off into the night. The sounds of battle were louder then. Ironwood went to mount his horse, but his soldiers stopped him.

"Sir! Please remember the soldier's creed! All personal matters come after the fight!"

He stopped—torn between duties of the field and duties of the home. Nothing about this seemed right. How could he keep fighting when he knew next to nothing about this? How could he keep fighting when Penny was… He needed answers. "I'm relieving you of duty."

"Wh—What?"

"I'm going to see Ozpin. You are relieved of duty. Go and help your families!"

"Y—Yes, sir!" After a hastened salute, they hurried towards their respective districts as General Ironwood galloped off towards the guard's headquarters.

/-/-/-/

Penny ran towards the castle on light feet. The voices were still sad. Crying for the men they helped her kill. Crying for her. "I'm sorry," she said aloud. They quieted slowly in understanding.

Outside the broken castle wall, she saw more witches fighting the soldiers. Penny skirted around the conflict, using her magic to fling off those too close. She had originally wanted to see the queen and confess her sins… but she began to think that maybe she should see the prince instead. Maybe she should tell him about his friends.

When she entered the grand court, she saw Ruby surrounded by royal guards. She was struggling to stand, using her scythe to hold her up. The guards facing her were casting electricity spells. "Oh, come on, Red," Roman jeered. "It can't hurt that bad, can it? Don't you have your magic or something to help you out?" Ruby flashed around, taking out a few unprepared guards before collapsing onto one knee, panting. A guard Bolted her and she screamed.

The voices returned, angry. They wanted to help her.

"You know, I once had a mouse named Red," Roman continued. "You should have seen the cats play with him before they ate him. It was tragic. Really." The royal guards in the clearing formed a ring around her when she couldn't use her semblance anymore. "If I were the prince, I'd have better trained followers."

"Weiss is going to kill me if I die," Ruby whispered, struggling to get up again. "Yang will blame herself…" There was more, but Penny couldn't hear it.

Roman walked towards her. "I would care… but I just don't." He raised his cane to her head. "Goodbye, Red."

At that moment, the Ruby smirked, rose a wind Dust crystal to the cane, and cast Howl as he cast Ignite. The spells nullified each other. "I remember your cane. It was sent in with the fourth order for the guard." She finally stood and looked him squarely in the eyes. "You know, if I were you, I'd be careful with who I got my runes from."

Penny decided not to waste another minute. It was clear who was truly evil here. She called on her magic and the voices, feeling the familiar electric lime streak down her limbs. "Let's fight them together." Her eyes began to glow, and she could hear them all. All the voices in the grand court—there were so many. They were unheard. They were waiting. She lifted a hand, and they responded.

/-/-/-/

Ruby watched in surprise and confusion as Roman and the royal guards were thrown to the ground. Looking behind her, she saw Penny orchestrating it all. She walked over to Roman and, without touching him, took the Dust from his pockets. The vials danced around her. He got up after that, scrambling backwards, but she forced him back to the ground with his cane. With him incapacitated, she easily tied him up with restraints used by the royal guard and turned to Ruby.

"Hello, Red. It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm Penny. I'm on your side."

Ruby wiped the blood from her brow and looked up, more than a little unsure of what just happened. "H…Hi, Penny. Actually, my name's Ruby."

"Oh! My apologies!" Penny tried again. "Hello, Ruby. Do you know where Prince Neptune is? I need to find him so we can have a talk. You see, we're both witches, so we should be on the same side, but I killed some of his men. I need to see him and tell him that."

Ruby readied Crescent Rose as best she could. "You killed rebels? Who?"

"I don't know... but everyone is sad with me because of it. They were trying to hurt me, and so I used my magic to take them down. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at controlling it yet." As if to emphasize her point, a few of the guards cried out in pain.

Ruby didn't know what to make of this. "I… uh… you're not going to kill me after I tell you, are you?"

Penny rose her hands to her mouth in surprise. The sudden movement threw a bunch of guards together in the air. "Oh, gosh, no! I would never dream of doing that! I just wanted to talk to the prince."

"I don't think now's a good time to talk to him…"

"Why not, Ruby?"

"He's probably fighting the queen."

"Oh. Well, thank you for telling me that. I'll wait here until he's done." At that, she sat down. "You should get some rest, Ruby. You look exhausted. I'll keep these guards down until Prince Neptune returns."

Ruby fell back onto the lawn of the grand court, not realizing how tired she was until the adrenaline slowly left her. For all her apparent oddities, Penny didn't seem like a bad person. She decided to trust her. Eventually, her aura returned, though the rose petals few in number and small at first.

"Gee, Red. You've got some strange friends," Roman commented flatly.

"Ruby, are we friends?" Penny asked, brightening.

Ruby sighed. "Sure, Penny. Why not?"

/-/-/-/

As soon as the advancing rebels entered the castle, they ran straight in the direction of the throne room. There, in front of the grand hall, was a woman with pink and brown hair wearing a White Fang mask and wielding an umbrella and a playful smirk. She and held out her hand as if she were asking Yang to dance.

Yang stepped forward, aura burning. "You four go on ahead. This one's mine."

"I'll see you after the fight," Blake promised.

"Remember our bet," Sun reminded. "If I finish my fight first, you owe me ten Lien."

Yang cracked her knuckles, aura flaring. "You'd better hurry, then."

Sun hmphed smugly before disappearing down the hall.

When they had gone, Neopolitan's smirk broke into a grin.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN:** Who's ready for this fight? I'm so ready.

**NEXT: **The Songbird and the Stray


	25. The Songbird and the Stray

**A song for the chapter: **Kean kavanagh - sing through the blood (demo)

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Songbird and the Stray)

It was a bolt from the blue when James Ironwood burst into Commander Ozpin's office with a look more grave than full of rage. "Ozpin, I know you're helping the rebels…"

"What gave you that—"

"But I don't care. Explain this to me—surely you must know something. My daughter… she's… she has magic. Magic! Why would you help the rebels? What is the magic they use?"

Ozpin took a long sip of coffee, contemplating the situation before returning the mug to his desk and walking towards the windows to gaze at the battle below. "The first thing I should tell you is that it's not magic. It's aura. It exists in the balance of all living things."

"So, my daughter… has aura?"

"Your daughter was terminally ill, correct?"

"Yes, she was."

"Aura has healing properties. She likely had hers unlocked to correct the course of the illness."

Ironwood thought for a while. "And, you're telling me the truth?"

"What would I gain by lying to you now, James?"

"Penny was saved by a witch. If what you say about aura is true… then the story would make sense."

"Saved by a witch?"

"Yes. The queen—"

"Say no more." Ozpin turned to him and stepped away from the window. "What I should tell you next are the sins of our ruler." When he had finished explaining, Ironwood demanded his aura be unlocked. "What are you going to do with it, James?"

"I'm going to fight my own men. All this time, I've allowed myself to be strung along. I was blind. Weak, even. When this rebellion is over, I'm resigning as general."

Ozpin shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Why not?" Ironwood asked angrily.

"This is not your battle or mine." Commander Ozpin gestured to the scene below his window. "These children saw what we could not, and now they strive to fix it. Savior is a role they are destined to play. All we can do is watch."

/-/-/-/

Neopolitan lead Yang into the castle's ballroom, ornate designs on the walls and ceiling about to bear witness to a different kind of dance… perhaps the one least holy.

Neopolitan held her umbrella out to the side and took off her White Fang mask, revealing eyes that matched her hair. She threw the mask aside. The adventurer stalked towards her, prepared to strike, and the woman did the same, calling out her aura. Brown, pink, and white lights fluctuated on her arms like those in the northern sky after dark.

She took a step, and her appearance changed. The umbrella became a vaguely familiar sword from what seemed like years ago, and she became cloaked in black, giving her identity a new dimension. That sword… the cloak… the illusions… She was the king's assassin.

She snapped her fingers and returned to normal. Behind the illusion of the shroud was a sinister grin that was somehow still twisted and playful. The two met in the middle of the ballroom, inches away from each other in a stare-down only one of them seemed to be serious about. Neopolitan blinked, switching the colors of her eyes. Yang growled at the taunt and began her assault. Every hit was dodged. Eventually seeing an opening, she kicked.

Neopolitan's umbrella blocked it. She opened it and rested it on her shoulder. Not to be discouraged, Yang rushed again and now, every assault was either blocked or parried. She knew she was being toyed with—a fact that only served to fuel her rising anger. Eyes flashing red, she feigned a punch but opened her hand at the last second and yanked away the umbrella, unsheathing a polished estoc underneath.

Neopolitan looked from the sword and back to Yang with a smirk, eyes changing in color. Then, it was she who rushed. Without her umbrella to block Yang's fire and spells, the flames singed her more than once as they cut through her ice aura… but it hardly seemed to affect her. She advanced without pause until Yang began to show signs of fatigue.

She kicked Yang to the floor and waited for her to get up before kicking her down again. Yang flames were starting to fluctuate. Her fury added to the blaze and simultaneously shortening the time until it burned out.

Suddenly, the room went dark and the chink of chains echoed off the vaulted walls. Yang's heart rate began to pick up at the familiarity of the scene. A jagged, red flame flared up near the edge of the room, her eyes instantly burning red in response. The estoc pierced through her right leg, bringing her to the floor for a third time.

She began to hear screams… not Ruby's… her own. On constant replay. Yang felt as if gravity had increased ten fold. She reached forward and her hand brushed hair slick with blood. She began to hyperventilate.

It wasn't real.

It wasn't real.

There's no way...

She repeated it over and over, trying to calm herself down. The sound of heels on the ballroom floor broke her mantra. "Are you willing to give up?" Adam's voice ran around the room.

Yang stopped listening. It wasn't real. None of it. Why was she still so screwed up? Why couldn't she just get over it?

Blinding anger, frustration, helplessness… she felt it all. Her aura increased in intensity and she roared, shattering the illusion. Ripping out the estoc, Yang rose and grabbed Neopolitan with vehemence, lifting her off the ground, aura engulfing her.

All of those sleepless nights. All of those flashbacks. All of those looks from her teammates. All that pretending and smiling. That dead and cold, black scar… All of the hurt and fear… It fed into her aura and gushed outwards, begging to be heard as much as it screamed to destroy its cause.

**Burn.**

Neopolitan jolted against her grip, eyes widening in surprise before lowering in understanding. She watched the flames eat her flesh in silence. There was a smile… it was no longer playful. Yang's flames burned on.

Neopolitan blinked, her eyes changing color one last time. Then, she closed them and stopped moving. She never uttered a single sound.

When Yang calmed down, she realized what she'd done. Dropping the small corpse, she took a mortified step backwards. Her hands went limp at her sides and she fell to her knees with a sudden wave of exhaustion. Staring at her bloodied hands, crimson returned to lilac.

She didn't notice the darkness taking over the corpse. She didn't see the King Taijitu rise from the chest cavity… she only saw her hands.

The Grimm bit her. Shocked, she grabbed the creature and burned it until the small double-headed snake decomposed in her hands… By that time, it was too late. Venom from the bite took over, and she passed out next Neopolitan's corpse.

/-/-/-/

After Yang had left, the four running rebels reached just before the throne room. A man with red-streaked hair and a White Fang mask blocked their path. Blake walked in front of him. "Adam," she greeted with cool conviction.

"Blake," he returned. "You're not wearing your bow anymore."

"A lot has changed." She looked back at her companions and they nodded. Then, she and followed Adam into the castle's private court. The garden was peaceful under the broken moon.

He felt her intent. "You want to kill me."

"I am."

"Hmph. We'll see." Adam put his hand on his sword's hilt and she pulled out Gambol Shroud.

"There's still hope, Adam… It really is possible."

"Then show me with your sword."

They lunged.

/-/-/-/

A portal opened in the ballroom. Raven walked out of it, having sensed Neopolitan's death; however, what she saw next to the body wasn't what she was expecting at all.

Yang—it had been so long since they'd last seen each other… So much had changed. Crouching, she delicately brushed Yang's blonde mane from her face. She was cold.

It was then Raven noticed the bite marks on her skin and decided she would help… but first, of course, she would take the item she valued most. Raven's hand ran through more golden tresses, then moved down to the scarf. She ripped it off Yang's neck and held the soft, yellow cloth, deciding to keep it until the she came to take it back from her. It was only a matter of time. These changes had brought them closer together than they'd ever been... With her free hand, she gave Yang strength.

Raven then walked back to Neopolitan's body and paused, dipping her head in a final show of acknowledgement.

Her voice… was truly beautiful.

She left as quickly as she came, red portal closing behind her and leaving the room to its quiet night.

/-/-/-/

Adam and Blake fought at blinding speeds without restraint or worry. The flowers in the garden were cut down, the entire thing being reduced to reminders of what was. Before the change in the White Fang, before that day nine months ago... Back to when they were just children and knew nothing of the world.

Time passed so slowly it may as well have been frozen. The years they'd spent training together in the White Fang offered no edge here. As their convictions changed, so did their habits and weaknesses. Adam absorbed a hit with his semblance and returned it. It hit a clone, and he was flanked by the real version of his opponent.

Blake slashed at him, electricity following in the blade's wake. He bore it and knocked her into the fountain, which crumbled to pieces upon the impact. She got up slowly to fight again.

"Why do you side with the humans?" he snarled.

"I side with my friends."

"They're using you."

"We're counting on each other to do the right thing."

"And this is it?"

"Yes, it is." They exchanged blows again. This time their blades locked, grating against each other. If this was solely a competition of strength, Adam would have pushed her back, but their auras battled for dominance more than the physical.

"She screamed," he said lowly."Through the blood and vomit… it was pitiful."

The fur on Blake's ears bristled and the voltage in Gambol Shroud increased.

Adam activated his semblance, using that surge of emotion to overpower her, knocking away Gambol Shroud and putting a hand to her forehead. "When I asked her to give up, she said no. Humans don't know their limits. They're arrogant and full of hatred. Do you think they'll stay friends with you? That she'll stay with you? After you're not useful to her anymore? Humans move on."

Blake held his gaze without falter. "There are some humans like that, yes… but not every one is the same. Adam, you're the one full of hatred and fear. You're using the queen for violence because it's the only thing you know. You want equality, but you're too arrogant to view the humans and your fellow Faunus as equals."

He frowned, signaling the end of their talk, but Blake grabbed his wrist before he could do anything more. Spiking her aura, she channeled it towards the jagged, red flames across from her. All of her emotion went into it for the sole purpose of not attacking, but connecting the rift between them. The elements met and merged for a split second, temporarily stunning Adam.

**Shock_._**

Blake easily threw him into the fountain basin. The water extinguished his flames. "So… you figured it out." His voice was low, calculating. "You won't kill me."

"Nine months ago, you would have been right." She approached him. "Do you remember the first time we met? We were so full of hope for the future."

"We were naive."

"Yes, we were… but we weren't wrong." She stepped in the water with him and waves of electricity wracked his body. "Adam..." There was a pain in her eyes he hadn't seen before. He recognized the feeling from earlier. "I won't let you do to others what you did to Yang."

"Why? What do these humans have that I don't?" he managed through gritted teeth. "Blake!"

The voltage lowered. "This isn't about human or Faunus. Why can't you get that?"

He paused then managed a smirk and a breath of laughter. "You've always been a fool." She stabbed him through the chest. He coughed out blood. Frowned. "Your triumphs… your failures… I'll be watching for them."

Shredded petals lifted on the night's wind and towards the broken moon. "Goodbye."

/-/-/-/

When the last three rebels made it to the throne room, Queen Cinder sat waiting for them. Emerald stood on her right while Mercury was on her left. "Well, if it isn't the little rebel prince," she greeted.

Neptune stepped forward. "Cinder… this has gone on long enough."

Emerald went to meet him. "Actually, it's only just begun," she corrected.

Sun blocked her path. "Whoa, there. You'll be fighting me."

Weiss stepped into Mercury's path when he, too, stepped forwards. "I will be your opponent."

Cinder chuckled. "Go and have your fun." At her command, Emerald and Mercury led Sun and Weiss away. She turned to Neptune. "And then there was one…"

He adjusted his diadem under the pressure.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN:** CAN WE JUST—

CAN I JUST—

AHHHHHGCCK

Was it even justified? For the best? He's gone and there's nothing we can change about that (says the irony-loving author).

**NEXT: **Black Phoenix


	26. Black Phoenix

~~AAAND START!~~ (Black Phoenix)

Mercury and Weiss entered the chapel, the archbishop hardly acknowledging the tapestry of the holy symbol on the far wall. No words were wasted as Weiss drew her sword and Mercury discarded his robes, revealing a sleek outfit and greaves.

Weiss narrowed her eyes when he tilted his head and beckoned her forwards. She called out her aura, white frost forming on her weapon. Mercury's aura formed gray electricity and it concentrated around his feet, feeding into the ground and surrounding objects. She was already at an advantage—lightning was weak to ice.

Weiss initiated the fight with a swift attack. Mercury returned it well and they jumped apart seconds later. A bench nearby broke—sliced cleanly through as the only sign of battle

Mercury nodded in mild approval. "Hmph." When next they met, the altar was smashed. Weiss eyed it, but other than that, it was an afterthought. Parts of Mercury's clothing were beginning to frost over as the fight went on. "Aren't you worried about your rune master?" he asked after they broke apart again.

"Ruby will be fine," she dismissed as she went in for another attack.

He hummed in acknowledgement before meeting her. By now, almost everything in the chapel had been affected by ice or electricity in some way. The holy symbol was the only thing left untouched.

Weiss took a few steps backwards, checking her opponent for signs of fatigue. He was breathing heavier than she… Even so, he still looked at her with condescending thoughtfulness. He lunged, kicking in bursts, then leapt away. This time, she advanced on him and attacked continuously until she saw an opening. Mercury was thrown backwards into the holy symbol. It began to burn from the electricity until it was no more than a pile of ash.

The two watched it. "Pity," he said. "It's a sin to destroy the symbol… Good thing I don't believe." Their eyes met for a moment. "You don't seem surprised."

"You've proven your alliances."

"I was expecting a little more theatrics from you, Schnee. Rumor has it the ice queen is also quite the hothead." He watched her for a moment and continued when she didn't answer. "'This isn't the time or place,'" he imitated before smirking like a hunter who caught his prey. "Right?"

Weiss felt a prick of irritation. The frost around her grew faster.

"Looks like I hit the nail on the head."

She lunged, but he jumped back.

"Ah, ah, ah. I'm talking."

His aloof behavior upset her even more. She took a deep breath and refocused.

"I was an orphan in a church back in Mistral. It burned down and you know who found me on the streets? Not the kingdom, not Cinder… Emerald. Threw me food and kept walking. I'd lost all faith in the Goddess and the system and here I was being helped.

"Followed her just for the heck of it and that's when she lead me to Cinder. Pretty sure Emerald hated me ever since I joined them, but I know she sees what's happening." Finding that Weiss was listening, the impish grin reappeared. "Pity me? Don't. I'm the one who burned down the church. Besides, Cinder's evil, but at least she's interesting," he shrugged. "I guess what I'm trying to say is... All those convictions you have? You'd better be careful because they burn away so quickly... and then who will be left to pick up the pieces? I think I could say I was lucky." He looked at the ceiling and sighed. "But, what am I warning a stupid Schnee like you for? You don't believe things until you've profited from them." Weiss grunted and he grinned even wider, laughing a little. He turned a patronizing eye on her. "Well, I've stalled enough. It's their last night…" He kicked the holy symbol's ash into the air. "Shall we pray?"

Temporarily blinded, Weiss heard it more than saw it. The electric current focused around his feet and doubled. The lightning increased his speed to the point where she relied on instinct to parry the blows instead of vision. It was inefficient and taxing, but Weiss didn't exactly have a choice. She cast a spell on the chapel floor. "Freeze!" The next hit sent her skidding into the wall, which she used as a launching pad. Activating her semblance, Weiss created glyphs around the walls and propelled herself forward with.

Mercury stopped, readying himself for the assault. The glyphs upped her speed until she nearly matched his… but he was still faster. "Huh. Fancy," he commented.

Weiss grit her teeth and upped the power of her semblance, but fatigue was setting in. She landed a hit on his shoulder and another on his leg, refusing to acknowledge her tiredness.

They separated again, but Mercury chased her into a corner. She had to use most of her strength to regain the advantage. Her aura depleted and flickered, allowing the lightning to shock her. With a shout, she fell to the floor and he crushed her under his foot. "Too bad," he said. "And you tried so hard, too..." He laughed at her.

"What do you know about me?" Weiss hissed, aura returning.

He kicked her and it flickered again. "I know everything there is to know. You're a Schnee... and a poor example of one at that," he smirked.

She reached into her Dust pouch and cast Zero, causing him to retreat for a split second. In this time, she recalled her aura and attacked him again.

To her surprise, his aura short circuited, going out. He clicked his tongue and held up his hands. "Time's up. I surrender."

She stopped borderline ungracefully, eyeing him. They were both gasping for breath.

"What? You think I want to keep going? For this?" He sat down and held out his hands. "Handcuffs, please."

Weiss Froze him to the spot. "I am worthy of my family name. You don't know a thing about me and I certainly won't allow you to order me around."

"Worthy even as a witch?" he retorted. He smirked at her reaction. "I thought so."

"You—You're not worth my time." She stalked out of the chapel. Outside, she leaned against the wall and began to recover, forcing the frost on her sword to thaw. She needed to help Neptune fight Cinder. She couldn't allow Mercury to provoke her.

From within the room came a hollow chuckle.

/-/-/-/

Sun chased Emerald up many flights of stairs. He nearly caught her a few times, but she proved to be quite evasive. Eventually, they found themselves on the roof of the castle. "You finally ready to fight or are we going to run a marathon?" he asked.

Emerald turned to him and pulled out his staff. "You might want to keep running."

He checked behind his back to find the weapon missing… she must have stolen it a while back when she shoved him into a suit of armor. He shrugged. "Not bad, but do you even know how to use it?"

She twirled the staff with relative skill. "I think I can manage."

"Okay, fine then." Sun took out her collapsible sickles and gave her a cheeky grin.

"What the—"

"Thief versus spy. Oh, and don't worry." Folding out the weapons, he performed a few quick slashes. "I know how to use these." Emerald frowned and they threw each other's weapons back. After that was settled, they called out their auras. Sun's look became more serious when her wind aura reappeared. Fire was weak to wind.

Emerald advanced on him, aiming to kill from the start. Sun dodged her strikes but quickly found she wasn't all that concerned about hitting him in the first place. The gust of wind that followed every missed blow served to extinguish some of his flames and she would plan an attack afterwards to cut the unprotected skin.

To turn the tide of battle, Sun used his semblance. Two holographic copies of himself went forward and created a flash in front of her. He used the moment she was stunned to his advantage and flanked her, changing her position to one of defense. They fought like this until a well-timed Howl made him stumble. Emerald didn't waste a moment and slashed him thrice before backing off.

He got up slowly, his aura playing keep-up with his injuries. "I've been curious about this for a while now, but… Why are you helping Cinder? Doesn't she hate—"

She lunged again and he blocked, knocking her to the ground.

"Doesn't she hate the Faunus?"

Emerald froze and looked up in surprise.

"It's a gift," Sun explained, shrugging for the second time.

Surprise soon turned to unbridled rage. "What would you know?"

He moved his tail back and forth. "Well, I'm like you, so a lot."

"No, you're not like me," she snarled. Her aura increased in power. The gales traversing her skin grew larger. "I was an outcast."

"So was I."

Emerald ripped off her jacket and left it to the wind. Two torn stubs of raven wings spread pitifully behind her. "The Faunus did this to me, the humans abandoned me. After everyone else had left me, Cinder saved me! I would do anything for Cinder!" Her scarlet eyes met his grays. "And that's why I'll kill you."

Sun readied himself for battle and broke his staff into nunchucks. The two fought fiercely. "I'm sorry that happened to you," he said between blows. He was starting to run out of breath. "But, she doesn't seem to value you."

She didn't answer and struck him down onto the stone roof of the castle.

Sun got up again and wiped his bloody palms on his pants. "I don't want to get serious… but you're not giving me a choice." Extending his aura to his nunchucks, he shouted, "Conduction!" An electric current pulsed outwards. Sun's hair began to stand on end and he braved it.

When next they met, it was on an equal playing field. Electricity ate at the wind and that wind ate at fire. Because Sun's electric weapons didn't rely on his aura, which was at this point no more than a few bits of light, he was able to drain Emerald's energy consistently and started to push her back. They were both fatigued, but at least they were equal. Soon, she was near the end of the roof. Cinder's follower looked over the edge and back with a sick smile. "I know," she said quietly, brokenly.

Sun took a step forward, hand out. She took a smaller step back and he stopped.

Tears gathered in her eyes; she took a deep breath, speaking louder and with more confidence. "My life belongs to her. I would throw it away in a heartbeat if it would give her what she wanted. And if that's what it takes…"

"Emerald!"

The wingless bird plummeted off the edge of the castle. If only it could fly.

/-/-/-/

Neptune had been dodging fireballs and attempting to formulate a plan for a while now. When a ball of aura whistled past his head, he could feel the heat and watched it shatter some of the sparkles making up his aura. He needed to think of something fast or he would be too worn out from maintaining his aura to fight back.

Suddenly, something dropped from the roof, falling by the window. A… person? Cinder turned her head to look at it, too. Neptune. It was Emerald. He took a quick look at Cinder to see she wasn't sad. In fact, she was smirking.

"It seems the little bird is finally going to fly."

That one comment rendered Neptune utterly speechless. He steadied his hands, readying himself. "I am so going to take your crown from you."

"I would set your sights on a more reasonable goal," Cinder chuckled.

/-/-/-/

Sun looked off the roof with wide eyes. He almost couldn't believe what had just happened. How could she just…

She hit the ground headfirst.

With a shaky breath, he fumbled with his nunchucks, trying to put them back together to form his staff. It was then when he heard it. The sound of wind rising from the ground. Checking the body, he saw black wings rising from her torn appendages—wings of a Grimm. Darkness surrounded the body and from the corpse rose a Nevermore. It screeched into the night and flew upwards, landing on the edge of the roof. Sun took a step away from the monster as large as him.

He saw a pair of glowing, crimson eyes meet his and in one last act of loyalty and strength, it beat its wings together, sending feathers flying his way. This unexpected gale was so strong with feathers so large in number there was no way to dodge it from his current position… and he didn't have enough aura left to block the projectiles. His arms were struck first, as if to prevent him from blocking the next wound running straight through his heart.

The Nevermore decomposed immediately after its final deed, falling to the ground in a trail of darkness. Sun gasped and felt his wound. The feather had gone with the Grimm. He didn't need to be an expert to know… this was fatal.

He stumbled back into the door leading into the castle. There was no way his aura could heal it—it was already gone. Suddenly, all the things he cherished in life came to mind. He remembered his parents, bananas, trees with perfect branches to swing from, his friends, shiny trinkets he'd stolen from strangers, and Beacon. He thought of Neptune and the rebellion. Sun was supposed to see this through… how could he die now?

There was no way. No way in hell would he let himself die before the rebellion was over. Before the prince became the king. He'd built his resolve with his friends… and just because he was bleeding from the chest didn't mean he'd let that crumble. The kingdom needed him. If nothing else, his best friend needed him.

At this, his aura spurred to life—more pure in color than he'd ever seen. It spiked around his heart where it began to crystalize and slow the bleeding. Sun remembered the term for that. A half-breed… that meant he still had time.

He opened the door after a few tries and stumbled through the castle as quickly as possible. All of his sentiments had become one single ambition: to help Neptune defeat Cinder.

The crystals formed faster, even below the skin and around the heart itself. He bit his tongue and ground his teeth through the pain. Through all of this, he kept going, wiping the blood from his mouth. Maybe Emerald was right. If this is what it took… he would gladly give his life for it to be done.

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN: **Sun's going kamikaze super saiyan up in here.

**NEXT: **The Fate of the Throne


	27. The Fate of the Throne

~~AAAND START!~~ (The Fate of the Throne)

Cinder Ignited the prince into the far wall with her hand. He was always a little too much like his father. Full of that stupid, futile determination. She would show him to a kinder death than the old king, though. To be destroyed in battle was more honorable than to be assassinated after a speech… and the publicity it awarded her was more than worth the trouble of doing it herself.

Cinder conjured another fireball—Neptune was on one knee. Her arm pulled back for the final throw, but it never followed through. The voices returned, more irate than ever. Her arm locked up and she put her other hand to her temple with a growl of pain. Out of all the times for this to happen…

The prince got up and ran forward. He took his chance, knocking her down. Being barely able to break her fall, she fell face first. Neptune hung back and waited for her to get up—what a useless fighter he was. The last thing she wanted was his mercy and pity.

The voices mocked her. She still couldn't hear a word they said, but she knew. When she tried to quiet them, they rose in volume and tenacity. In the face of this new humiliation rose rage. How dare that which was in her blood mock her? She could deal with resistance. That, she had planned for… but, mockery? And to think this weakness was all shown in front him. Neptune was waiting for her as if she were a charity case. She was about to kill him, and he still believed this was a fight decided by surrender? She would break them all.

Cinder stood on her feet and faced Neptune with a piercing stare. She forced her arm to move again and upped the power of her aura, silencing the voices and robbing them of their power. The orbs of fire about her grew larger and eventually denser. Neptune witnessed her semblance with an infuriating mix of worry and steadfast determination. Cinder vowed to crush it. Now, her aura no longer consisted of flames but floating orbs of lava. They dripped onto the throne room's floor.

Swinging an orb around, she locked them in a burning ring and let out a low laugh at the sheer power she possessed. He reached behind him and took out a blade pack for his guandao, switching the blades with ice runes to blades with wind runes. This complete, he turned the weapon into a trident.

"Let us determine Vale's true ruler," Cinder announced with a smirk.

Neptune swallowed and lunged forward. She stood her ground and met his advance with an orb of lava. Contrary to her expectations, he threw a Dust crystal instead of using his blades and commanded, "Howl!" Met with difficulty, she threw a different orb at him, but he had already gained ground.

It was a taxing battle for the both of them. She felt her energy being drained at a constant rate while he was always dodging and using crystals. Eventually, he had begun to use his trident. Cinder knew he had run out of crystals, and since there was less of a chance of being blocked, she attacked with increasing viciousness. When he began to slow, she merged some orbs and used power over speed.

Neptune was horribly outmatched, and the constant assault left him serious burns in various places… but he still did not give in. Cinder had not fought in close range during all of this and her previous physical injuries had already healed. Fatigue was her only true cost in the battle thus far.

Finally, she dealt the decisive blow. Neptune had nowhere else to escape to; all his exits had been blocked by the molten runoff. He was thrown to the ground, skin a blooming coal-black from the contact with her aura. She laughed and walked up to him, energy completely wasted but refusing to show it. His gasps were laced with pain… but still he did not break. Cinder's eyebrow twitched.

As she congregated the remaining orbs into a single, bleeding star, he put a shaky hand to his chest. Cinder set her aura in the palm of her hand and went in to finish the job and end this insurrection once and for all. "It's time to join your father, Little Prince." Then, she saw it. A verdant flash. Neptune pulled out one final crystal. It was larger than the others and shaped into a hardly translucent green card. He activated Howl with a nearly faltering voice and then threw it at her.

A hole was blown into the lava and he thrust his trident through it. The tips of the blades struck Cinder through the chest and she looked down, surprised at the strength of the Dust… Neptune had always been fond of heroics.

Pulling out the weapon, she cast it aside and dispersed the lava, pooling it around her with a smirk. She was capable of heroics as well; she held the prince's gaze as she bled onto the floor like her aura. From the congregation of lava, she pulled a small sphere of it and cauterized her wound without ever breaking her stare. She watched his expression change to the emotion she was waiting for.

Fear surfaced in sapphire. "You're crazy…"

Cinder found this laughable. "I'm simply protecting my throne, Neptune." Picking him up by the collar, she took a dagger from behind her back and held it to his throat. Her aura deactivated due to her exhaustion, but she stood her ground. He struggled, his aura gone as well. She had begun to trace a vermillion line across his neck when the door shut. She hadn't heard it open.

"Neptune!" A fire Dust crystal sailed through the air. "Flare!"

Cinder was blown away by the intensity of the spell. It was one she'd never seen before. The heat… the light… it was unlike any fire spell she'd ever witnessed. A religious person might have described it as the wrath of the Goddess. Hitting the ground right in front of the throne, she knew this wasn't something she could recover from normally. She probably wasn't going to walk out of this fight the same as she walked into it. To the less determined, the spell whispered death... but Cinder was willing to rescind half of her humanity to keep her treasured throne.

The midnight bells began to resonate from the castle chapel.

The first bell muffled the thud as she crumpled to the floor, feeling a bubbling chill swell and pulse outwards with every heartbeat.

The second bell gifted short breath. She watched Neptune's tentatively hopeful gaze grow confused as the third bell sounded and her aura turned a listless midnight.

The fourth bell brought the voices with it. A rallying cry; they fought the spreading darkness. Queen Cinder's tattoos glowed, burned, and faded as the darkness continued to consume. The battle shattered her consciousness.

The tenth bell seemed surreal. Cinder saw everything much clearer then.

The eleventh bell swallowed her last words.

After the twelfth bell came darkness.

/-/-/-/

Ruby heard the roar from her position in the grand court. It shook the ground… or maybe it was her knees that shook. The king of all beasts had arrived. The Draco, the cause of her parent's death all those years ago. She'd only heard stories of the sound, but those were all it took. Even Yang had once run from this cry…

However, all that was before today. Ruby would face anything now. Her knees weren't shaking from fear, but the stress of getting up again. She was already moving towards the castle. "Ruby, are you going to go help Prince Neptune?" Penny inquired.

"Uh-huh."

"Then, let me help you!" From the royal guards, she took various vials of Dust and rune sheets. "I'm sorry I can't come with you—I'm too tired to fight right now." She didn't look it, but Ruby knew she must be after using her aura on such a large scale for so long.

"Thanks, Penny."

"No problem! We're friends!"

Ruby smiled and picked up the pace towards the castle.

Penny called after her, "Don't worry, Ruby. You're combat ready!"

/-/-/-/

Jaune's weakening aura shield broke from a soldier's blow; it hit him in the shoulder. His physical shield had been thrown away earlier.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha finished off her current opponent and went to help him with his. Ren and Nora were in a similar state. Battered far worse than just the occasional cut or bruise, they had been using their strength to protect each other more than themselves for quite a while. It gave them a reason to stay in the fight.

Down the road, Oobleck and Port were doing the same. Nora finished hitting someone aiming for Ren when they all heard it. The roar of a Grimm so large it could only be one thing… a Draco. Soldiers and citizens ran. Port shouted through the noise, "The crest of the battle is here! Hold your ground, rebels!" He sounded like the youthful knight he boasted about in all of his stories.

"Precisely as Sir Port put it! Just a little longer!" Oobleck yelled.

Pyrrha moved closer to Jaune. "How are you doing? Can you hold out until the end?"

He gave a dogged smile. "We don't have a choice… but I'll definitely give my all until the last blow."

"Good. I'm right here with you."

"Thanks, Pyrrha."

"The countdown has started!" Nora screamed. "Renny, prepare for impact!"

Ren raised his voice as well. "Nora… let's do this!"

Another explosion shook the ground. "Yeehaw!"

Team Management wasn't giving in any time soon. That much was for sure.

/-/-/-/

Blake heard the roar from the throne room and knew she had to leave. The final fight was here. Saying her last, silent adieu to Adam, she sped out of the garden and towards the end of these last few months. She was ready and she would give every last ounce of her strength to build the future she'd seen to be possible. She would fight for that glimpse of equality fate had allowed her to see and she'd be damned if anyone would deny her that or take it from her.

Gambol Shroud hummed. It was ready too.

/-/-/-/

When Weiss heard the Grimm, she knew this was the last battle they'd have to face that night. Just one more… She took a deep breath and straightened herself. It was time to see just how far her own sword could take her. It glinted in the moonlight. The heiress knew she could trust in herself, in her blade; and deep down, she knew she could trust her companions too.

When she opened the door to the throne room, the first thing she saw was an image she would never forget. Queen Cinder lay dead in front of the throne, and the giant beast behind her watched stoically from its position. It gripped the throne in its claws, unmoving. Neptune was wounded terribly and struggling to get up. The Grimm didn't even glance at him.

"Neptune!" she ran over to him.

"Sun… where's Sun? He was the one… who defeated her."

Weiss looked around and inhaled sharply at the sight near the door. How could she have missed it?

Following her gaze, Neptune froze. "Sun…" A moment passed. "No way…" Another went by. "Sun!" Neptune's aura renewed itself, surpassing new heights. He looked towards the beast with unmasked rage and hurt as his wounds healed at unnatural speeds. "I'll kill you!"

Weiss stood with him as he grabbed his bloodied trident and steadied her sword. Neptune was glowing brighter than the lava dripping from the Draco's mouth. The demon finally chose to look at them and bared its fangs in warning… There was no warning that would have kept him from attacking. A second roar split through the throne room, and the final battle began. Ready as they'll ever be, Weiss and Neptune charged.

The Grimm spewed lava from its mouth, and they split, diving for cover behind stone pillars. After the initial attack, they advanced again. Weiss looked at Neptune and they nodded at each other. Seeing as ice was weak to fire, a combo attack was the only way they could do real damage. "Weiss!" He threw his original blade pack to her and she threw a Bolt slip to him.

When she caught the ice blade pack, she began coating the blades' runes in her aura and stopped running, letting Neptune go on ahead. The Draco was about to breathe lava at them again, but he casted Bolt to draw its attention. It leaned forward and swiped at him with its tail, never leaving the throne. He rolled out of the way, diverting a second attack with his trident in a calculated move.

"Ready!" Weiss called, throwing the blades forward and above the monster's head. "Freeze!" They froze over in midair. As they fell, she switched places with Neptune. Seeing as it was now her turn to draw the Draco's attention, she kited it using her glyphs. Meanwhile, he used his semblance as well, controlling the ice blades. He sent them forward, attacking the demon's blind spots. It screeched when one hit a weak spot. Lava poured from its jaws and down its being. Neptune had to pull the blades back to prevent the spell from being shattered.

The Grimm then spread its wings and brought them together. The heated gust blew the rebels back. Weiss got up, dusted herself off, and narrowed her eyes. "This is going to be a tough fight."

"I know," Neptune responded as he barely regained control of the blades. "We know a weak spot already. You go for that, I'll find more!"

"Got it!" She ran forwards and used a glyph to jump up and flip over the Draco. She narrowly missed a jet of lava and jammed her sword into a weak spot between the spikes on its back. It reared onto its hind legs and hit her off with the spiked tip of its tail. She hit the ground hard and her aura depleted.

"Weiss!" Struggling to keep the Grimm occupied, Neptune ran to her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Don't take your eyes off the enemy!" As if to punctuate her warning, the Draco caught a blade in its jaws and destroyed it with a powerful bite.

"I don't know if we can take it on our own!"

"We don't have to," Weiss stated confidently as she stood. "We just have to wait for the others to arrive."

Neptune shook his head to clear it. "You're right. Let's hope they get here fast!"

/-/-/-/

Blake ran into the throne room and gasped. Sun was near the entrance, partially hidden by a pillar… he didn't look well. "Sun!" She was about to head over to him when Weiss skid to a stop by her feet. A nasty gash on her left leg was bleeding profusely. Blake cast one last glance at Sun before deciding to enter the fight. More people would get seriously wounded if the Draco wasn't stopped. She helped Weiss to her feet. "Can you manage a combo?"

Weiss nodded. "There's a weak spot on its spine."

Blake returned the gesture.

"It got off the throne!" Neptune took a few steps backwards.

The Draco had shoved its possession behind it and slunk towards them with its wings pressed to its sides. It growled in a low tone, surveying the three usurpers. Gambol Shroud transformed into a chain scythe as its master held the beast's gaze. Finally, the Grimm lunged. Blake and Weiss went to meet it. Neptune provided support from the side.

Weiss used her glyphs to raise Blake's speed. Her weapon was hardly visible as it put cracks and dents in the Draco's armor. When the speed boost slowed, they both attacked at close range. Some of the Draco's mask crumbled to the floor.

The Grimm spun in a circle and used its armored tail again to put some distance between them all. Neptune's blades kept them apart until the demon breathed lava. Weiss used her glyphs to get herself and Blake out of the way, but another blade was caught.

Neptune's aura went out and the third dropped uselessly to the floor.

For a better vantage point, the beast took flight and circled around the throne room.

"We have to take out its wings!" Neptune shouted between heavy breaths.

Weiss used her semblance to create a pathway to the Draco. As it circled, she adjusted the glyphs. Blake and Neptune ran up them and jumped at the Grimm. Neptune shoved his trident in its mouth and as it struggled to free its jaws, Blake flanked it.

Suddenly, Weiss's aura flickered and Neptune was left hanging by his trident. "Weiss! Help!" he yelped.

"I'm trying!" Humiliation laced her tone.

"Hold on," Blake shouted. She hooked her chain scythe onto the Draco's wing and pulled it still. Next, she used her sheath to tear the thin membrane of darkness making up the right wing. The Draco screeched in pain.

"Falling!" Neptune screamed as the Grimm descended.

"Jump!" Weiss managed a glyph to break his landing before crashing onto one knee, gasping.

Blake swung off of it using her chain scythe and rolled away from its landing zone. The Draco slammed into a pillar and went through it, sliding down the row of columns… and heading straight for Sun.

Neptune sat up, extending a hand. "Sun!" Just before the beast could crash into the final pillar, a flash of red changed the trajectory of the Draco's path just in time. Rose petals danced in a non-existent wind as Ruby stood with Crescent Rose at the ready. Her look was one of focus and determination.

"Blake!"

Blake shot forward at her command while the other two combatants fell back to conserve their waning energy. "Let's finish it!"

/-/-/-/

Ruby used her semblance and attacked the writhing demon. It screeched and spewed out more lava, but Ruby used the wind spells Penny had given her to avoid it. Throwing some to Blake as well, they cast spells and kept each other in the fight. Lightning and wind performed a _prestissimo_ duet. The Draco used its tail once more, but it was far too slow. Blake used her skills as a former assassin to hit its weak spots. Ruby came in with her scythe to finish the job; a limb fell to the ground.

Then, Ruby went in for the kill, but the Draco wasn't ready to go down. It grabbed her by the cloak with its teeth and prepared to use its lava again. "Ruby!" Blake freed the cloak just as the Grimm spit out its inheritance. Blake jumped free, though it was too late for Ruby. Before the lava hit, a flash of white got her out of there.

Ruby opened an eye when she hadn't been burned to death. "W...Weiss?"

"Be careful, you dolt!" Weiss nearly dropped her, having exerted an incredible amount of energy thus far.

"Sorry, I just—"

"You're fine. Focus on the fight."

Neptune had followed her in and was doing his best to help Blake hold the three-legged demon at bay. "It'll go down in one more attack!"

"Let's pull that finishing move from training!" Ruby called. Everyone nodded, and the three members of Team Recruitment rushed with the prince one last time.

Weiss picked up debris and coated it in her aura. Neptune then controlled the ice-covered stones to hold the Draco's attention. They weren't as effective as the blades, but they did the trick. Meanwhile, Blake and Ruby tied Gambol Shroud's ribbon around two pillars.

Ruby stood on Crescent Rose as Weiss ran behind her, pulling her back using glyphs until the ribbon was pulled taut. "It'll take me a while to charge this!" Speed glyphs slowly formed in a path towards the Draco. Weiss was shaking from over-exertion, but her face showed no fatigue.

Blake and Neptune nodded and continued drawing the Grimm's attention. Blake was breaking off weakened chunks of armor while Neptune ditched the rocks in favor of using his trident to pin down the beast's tail.

The Draco roared, spewing out more lava, and its two close-range combatants somehow managed to dodge it, but it was clear they wouldn't be able to do it a second time. Even Blake couldn't hold out much longer.

"Weiss, make the shot!" Ruby ordered.

"Hold on!"

"We can't wait any longer!"

Blood dripped from Weiss's nose and onto the floor. "Ruby, I'm well aware of our circumstances—just trust me!" The glyphs on the floor turned from white to gold.

"Woah…"

Weiss wanted to perfect this before using the new technique in combat, but now was not the time to conserve strength. The Draco ripped its tail loose and knocked Blake and Neptune into a wall.

"Brace yourself!"

Ruby used her semblance the instant her partner released her. Going so fast she could hardly process what she saw, she pulled back Crescent Rose and decapitated the Grimm, ripping through darkness in the gaps Blake had created… but it didn't stop there. More glyphs emerged, moving her around the Draco until she practically diced it.

Skidding to a stop and gasping for breath, Ruby felt numb as she came down from an adrenaline high. Weiss fell unconscious, and Ruby rushed to catch her as she fell.

To their surprise and ultimate horror, that wasn't the end. The shreds of darkness continued to throb. Neptune staggered to a standing position, found the mask amongst the darkness, and smashed it to pieces like glass. Only then did the beast begin to decompose.

They didn't even begin to celebrate. Neptune broke into a run. "Sun!" What had been hidden by a pillar before now was a source of shock. Sun was turning into Dust. His aura would peak around his chest and solidify into a fire Dust crystal. Prince Neptune dropped to his friend's side, and his hands hovered above the thief, unsure of what to do. "Sun, come on, wake up!"

To his relief, Sun opened his eyes a little. "Neptune… did you beat her?"

"Yeah, we did."

"Good… Now I can—"

"No! You can't! You have to stay here! I… I won't let you die!"

Sun smiled weakly and held up his hand. "Here." In it was the thief's golden necklace.

Neptune shoved it back. "I don't want it."

"Take it. Please…"

"I said I don't want it!"

"Neptune, it's okay."

"It's not okay! I'm going to save you." Neptune turned to the others. "There has to be some way to save him, right?"

Blake's ears drooped. "I'm not sure…"

Neptune let out a choked noise. "No way…"

Ruby laid Weiss down gently. "There might be a way… but we have to hurry." They all looked at her. "My uncle, Qrow, was a rune master. He gave me the tools I use today. Normally, you can't mix Dust and blood more than a few days before you use it, but my tools are different. They were forged with a decomposing Grimm to nullify the Dust until you smash the vial for use… Yang said they put Dust in her wound to stop it temporarily, so…"

"You're saying we put Sun in the Draco's remains?" Blake finished.

"Let's try it." Neptune was already trying to pick up Sun.

"Wait. We don't know what will happen to him if we do, and it's only temporary."

"Why don't we just use that time to find out how to heal him completely?" Ruby asked.

"Exactly," Neptune agreed. His wobbling legs gave out on him, and he resorted to dragging Sun across the throne room instead. He placed Sun on the pieces of the decomposing Draco and waited. At first, it seemed like nothing was going to happen, but then the Dust started to return to aura and seep back into his body. By the end of it all, he was unconscious, but breathing stably. Neptune looked towards Ruby with gratitude. "Thank you." Now, they felt they could relax. They nearly collapsed onto the throne room floor. "She's really gone, huh? It's really over."

"Yeah…" Weiss stirred and Ruby hurried over to her. "Weiss!"

"Hn..." Familiar icy blues peaked out from heavy eyelids. "What now?"

"It's over... We were pretty cool back there."

"Of course we were..." Weiss huffed quietly. She trailed her gaze over to Cinder's corpse lying a ways away in her bloody, white robe. "Looks like Cinder finally… fell." She allowed herself a breath of laughter at her own joke. When she was met with unamused stares, she crossed her arms. "What? Yang makes puns all the time."

"Yeah, but…" Ruby started.

"She's a lot better at it," Blake finished.

"Well, at least I'm trying," Weiss pointed out.

Ruby felt her stomach drop and she froze at the sudden realization. "Wait, where is Yang?"

The others paled as well.

"She didn't come to help…" Blake put Gambol Shroud on her back and got up on quivering legs, moving towards the door.

"You don't think she's…" Neptune stopped himself from saying the next word. "Ruby, Blake..."

The two didn't have to be asked. They were already stumbling through the halls of the castle. When they found Yang in the ballroom, they stared at the scene. Neopolitan was dead... and she wasn't moving.

"Yang!" Ruby's rose petals revived in response to her panic. She sped over to her sister and shook her lightly. "Yang!"

"Ruby, her arm!" Blake was at Yang's other side. Two black diamonds were surrounded by swollen tissue—a King Taijitu's signature mark. "Check her eyes," she ordered.

Ruby complied with shaking hands. The whites of Yang's eyes had turned black—the final stages of poisoning. After that was... "Yang, don't die!" Ruby wailed, hugging her as if her own life depended on it. She furrowed her brow and solidified her resolve. "I'll take her to a doctor." At that, she took Yang into her arms and was gone.

Blake stared at the rose petals she left behind, finding it hard to breathe from the tightening in her chest. A wave of nausea came over her as she stared at the estoc user's blackened corpse. This wasn't the result of a regular battle. It was obvious that Yang had lost control.

"_But… what if I hurt someone?"_

_ "You won't, Yang. I'll be there for you. Everything is going to be okay."_

If only she could have kept those promises.

/-/-/-/

Roman watched the kingdom guards arrest the remaining royal guards and soldiers. Queen Cinder was dead; the kingdom now belonged to Neptune. He watched people mill about the castle. There were people to verify it all, low-level field medics to aid to the wounded, guards, and people from the church to collect the dead…

Penny had fallen asleep shortly after help came. As Roman was being formally arrested, he saw Neopolitan being carried out of the castle… or, more correctly, her corpse. He averted his eyes from the rising sun, letting himself be escorted to the dungeon without a fuss. "I wish you had made it too, kid."

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN:** Hnnngg.

(I am so proud to finally be able to present Weiss with an MVP award. Holla!)

**NEXT:** Sixteen Days of Night


	28. Sixteen Days of Night

~~AAAND START!~~ (Sixteen Days of Night)

Ruby stood in front of what should have been the clinic. Charred splinters of wood remained in a jagged formation, mixing with others from the rest of the block… Help was no more than an impossible dream now. Deep down, Ruby knew it may never have been plausible to begin with.

Something left her in that moment; it went with the smoke rising from the remains of the clinic. Her semblance deactivated, and she dropped to the stone road with her sister still in her arms. Yang was cold. She was barely breathing. It shouldn't have ended like this—it wasn't fair! Ruby covered both of them with her cloak and held onto Yang as choking sobs wracked her body. "Yang, don't… don't die!" Her breath hitched. "Please… I don't want you to go. I don't want be alone…" Silence was her only answer. Silence as empty as a promise from long ago.

"_Don't worry, Ruby, I'll come back. I promise. I'll always come home, okay?"_

Sadness and desperation morphed into anger. "Liar!" she screamed, rocking back and forth. "You're just like Mom and Dad! You're… you're going to leave me just like them!"

Yang's response stayed the same.

A brittle plank of burnt wood snapped under pressure a ways away. Ruby slowly rose her head to the approaching footsteps and tightened her grip on her sister. Who would dare to approach?

Blake stepped towards her, pain leaking from her mask of cool concern. "Ruby, let's take her home."

Anger broke into anguish.

/-/-/-/

_Yang stood in a burning field of black wheat. It was day, but the sun was missing from the sky. There was a figure illuminated by the golden flames impersonating the missing star of day. She approached the figure to find it was a woman—one vaguely familiar_ _that brought the feeling of nausea with her._

_They faced each other in a clearing, surrounded by the soft fire as it shifted along with Yang's breathing. The woman looked up briefly, lips curling into a lopsided smile. In the center of her cupped hands sat a beautiful, red rose and a black ribbon. _

_Slowly, she clenched her hands and crushed the objects. _

_Yang reached out and attempted to beg her to stop, but no voice escaped her. The breath in her lungs found its way out quietly and blew across the field, spreading the flames._

_ The woman opened one hand to reveal the rose had become scarlet petals covering a wilted stem. In her other hand, the ribbon lay tattered. __The golden flames became a conflagration, retribution for the damage as their cause. She began to sing softly, her haunting melody nearly drown out by the roaring flames._

_ When the ring of wheat closest to them began to burn, Yang remembered whom those haunting eyes belonged to. Neopolitan. Extending a hand towards her, words she could not articulate were again lost to the rising blaze. Neopolitan blinked, and her eyes changed color. She kept singing even as the flames came closer. On the last note of the piece, she closed her eyes… and disappeared._

_ The rose petals and the ribbon descended at an unsettling pace, reverting to normal as they fell. Yang realized the flames were still approaching and ran to protect the items. She held them amid the heat… until the flames rushed from her hands, too, and lit them on fire. They burned in the darkness, leaving her with fistfuls of ash._

_ Yang fell to her knees in grief and the golden flames began to scorch both her and the field, burning them down to the blackened soil beneath them._

_ As her consciousness faded, she felt a gust of cold wind around her neck. After it passed, light began to return to the field._

/-/-/-/

Rose's Runes was, surprisingly, still standing. The windows were shattered, obscenities had been painted on the walls, and the Dust inside had been looted, but it was still standing and it was still home. Blake and Ruby hauled Yang up the "stairs" that were also still there after all this time. Weiss and the others had stayed at the castle to recover and deal with the aftermath of the rebellion.

Yang's room hadn't been touched seeing as it had little of value in it in the first place. Blake brought up chairs from the workbench and she and Ruby sat at the side of Yang's bed, waiting for any changes. Blake was trying to stay strong for Ruby, but she honestly wasn't doing much better. A stifling layer of silence had covered the room. Ruby was curled into a ball in her chair, and Blake was trying not to do the same.

Yang… It shouldn't have ended like this. The adventurer deserved a happy ending… but it wouldn't be an end to celebrate if she wasn't there in it. Blake put an end to Adam. She couldn't handle losing Yang, too.

The worst part was that no one could do anything about it. There was no cure. All Blake was capable of now was watching Yang die. It was a sickening feeling that gnawed at the pit of her stomach and sent cold, steel tendrils to clasp around her windpipe.

Suddenly, Yang's eyes flung open and her right hand twitched.

"Yang!" Ruby was at her side instantaneously, rose petals fluttering in her wake. Lilac surrounded by obsidian stared blankly without seeing and Yang's lips parted slightly. The air became tense. Blake stood by Ruby, tentatively hopeful.

Yang's hands shook subtly. Ruby grabbed onto one while Blake held her breath, glancing at the other and trailing her own along the bed. Tears slid from Yang's eyes; her brows furrowed in pain. Ragged breathing became louder. "Come on, Sis, fight!" Ruby encouraged.

Blake looked away and bit her lip.

And then, all too quickly, the gasps stopped completely.

"Yang?" Ruby nudged her. "Yang...?" Her voice was no more than a choked whisper.

Blake put a hand on the Ruby's shoulder, fighting the feeling of wanting to break, to vomit, to run… "Ruby, she's…" She couldn't finish the sentence.

"No… Not Yang…" Ruby collapsed onto the floor in a mess of tears. "NO!" Screams of loss and agony tore through the house.

Blake felt something warm on her hands and realized she was crying, too. She felt cold, like there was a gaping hole in her heart…

Ruby lost control over her aura, creating a flurry of rose petals to bathe the room red. It hurt to watch.

Blake dropped to her knees and scooped Ruby into an embrace. She held Ruby there; desperately trying to keep her pieces together… and then they both felt it. Warmth.

Yang's aura had activated. A faint golden flame that didn't come close to rivaling even a candle… but it was there. Yang closed her now vermillion eyes and let out a breath they didn't know she had drawn in.

Blake slowly lifted her eyes. Her lips twitched upwards. Of course—how could she forget? Yang was the strongest person she knew.

/-/-/-/

Day two. One of Neptune's subordinates came over to tell them his coronation date and update them on Sun's status. He was still out cold, but it was closer to sleep than a coma. The old Team Management stopped by with gifts, though they were keeping busy with rebuilding the town. Oobleck holed up in a library the minute everything cooled down and no one had seen him since.

Currently, Weiss, Sir Port, Ruby, and Blake were the only people who spent most of their time at Rose's Runes. The building itself was heavily guarded against potential anti-witch terrorists even though its residents would have taken on the rest of the army if they had to. Weiss insisted her business could wait until her teammate regained consciousness. Everyone else secretly wondered how long that would last.

A doctor came by to look at Yang, but gave them no more than a shrug of the shoulders.

Just like the night before, Blake couldn't sleep.

/-/-/-/

Day five. Weiss had kept her word and was there early every morning until late evening. They played all kinds of games to pass the time. Card games, board games, and even mind games. Sun woke up two days ago. He and Neptune might be around later.

/-/-/-/

Day eleven. Three days until Neptune's coronation. Weiss made Ruby leave the house for the first time since the rebellion. They went to get supplies at a shop she preferred a few blocks away. It was a big step up from Ruby refusing to leave Yang's room.

Weiss had no idea why, but Blake was her number one stressor these days. She always seemed to have her nose in a book, hardly spoke, and the dark bags under her eyes were permanent fixtures now. Team Management and Sir Port were dropping by less and less often.

/-/-/-/

Day fifteen. Neptune finally became king, but it was hard to be genuinely happy.

/-/-/-/

A knock came at the door. Ruby went to answer it, and Sun and Neptune entered. Sun closed the door and took off the hood to his cloak, ruffling his hair back into its usual position and holding up a peace sign. "'Sup, losers?"

Neptune in turn took off his hood. "Hey, guys!"

Weiss's jaw hit the floor. "What are you_—_"

"Hey," Ruby interrupted. "What are you doing here?" She asked it in a much better manner than Weiss would have.

Sun sauntered over to the workbench, which had been converted into a game table. "We thought we'd officially stop by and see how Yang's doing now that everything's a little more stable around here."

"We can't stay long since I'm pretty swamped," Neptune tacked on.

"Are you sure you're okay, Sun?" Ruby asked.

Sun gestured towards the red scar on his chest shaped a lot like his namesake. "I'm great!"

"Neptune, you're the king! Why are you here when your kingdom needs you?" Weiss finally broke out.

Neptune raised his hands as if to deflect her statement. "Okay, but my advisors know I'm here. I cleared it with them first."

Weiss growled. "If they know where you are, why didn't they send an escort—"

"So, what are you playing?" Sun inquired, ignoring Weiss.

"Hey, I'm not done talking!"

"Whatever, Weiss," he shrugged. "Just let him have some fun."

She grumbled off to the side.

Neptune, ever the diplomat, spoke up to try and smooth things over. "I'm sure we can handle it. Besides, Yang's the most important thing on my agenda right now. How is she?"

"The King Taijitu mark disappeared, but she's still unconscious," Blake answered from her position near the house door. She had actually closed her book for the first time in a while.

"She should be waking up soon," Ruby added. Her mood had drastically improved over the last couple of weeks.

Neptune smiled. "I hope so."

"Me too. So, what are you playing?" Sun repeated.

Ruby gestured towards the workbench. "Remnant: The Game."

"Nice!" Neptune sat down. "You've only got three players, right? Mind if I join?"

"Actually, there's only two," Blake corrected.

Sun crossed his arms and nodded his head. "I never took you as the board game playing type."

"Right, well, I guess you were correct." She walked towards the door with her book still in hand. "I'm going out. I'll see you guys later." After her frosty goodbye, the door closed behind her.

"What's up with her?"

"Oh, don't mind her. She's been doing that a lot lately," Weiss explained.

Ruby looked towards the house door. "I think she's taking it pretty hard."

Sun and Neptune nodded.

"So, two extra hands?" Weiss continued, already counting out two stacks of seven on the table.

"Sure. I used to play this with my dad all the time. I'll be Mistral," Neptune said as he took a seat.

Sun sat down across from him. "I'll be Vacuo." Approximately thirty minutes later, Ruby and Sun were watching the game next to a pile of their defeated pieces while Weiss and Neptune continued their heated battle.

"Not bad, Snow Angel," Neptune complimented.

"Flattery will get you nowhere. Atlas shall rule the world!" A bought of psychotic laughter took Weiss. "Fear the power of my almighty forces!"

Ruby snickered and motioned for Sun to lean in. Weiss could still hear her whisper, "She attacked her own army the first three times she played."

"Quiet, you!" Weiss scowled.

The snickering only grew louder.

In the end, they ran out of resources and the kingdoms of Atlas and Mistral crumbled as the Grimm broke into their cities. Neptune handed Weiss the rest of the pieces to put away. "There should be an aura card."

"Well, I'm still victorious."

"You may have had money, but my citizens were happier."

"If that's all, I don't see how you won."

"Let's just call it a tie, alright, guys?" Sun intermediated.

/-/-/-/

Blake took a deep breath before opening the door to Rose's Runes. Ruby greeted her. Neptune and Sun had already left for a meeting. She was about to open the door into the house when Weiss spoke up. "Stop. Lately, you've been quiet, antisocial, and moody!" She paused. "Which, I get is kind of your thing, but you've been doing it more than usual! Which, quite frankly, is unacceptable! You made a promise to me, to all of us, that you would let us know if something was wrong!" She leapt onto the workbench and thrust a finger in Blake's face. "So, Blake Belladonna, what is wrong?"

Blake's ears twitched in irritation. "What's wrong?" Gold pierced blue. "I guess I just don't understand how you can be so calm while Yang is fighting for her life upstairs."

Ruby took a few steps towards her. "You're still worried?"

"It's been sixteen days and she still hasn't woken up! What if she_ never_ wakes up? And even if she did, she may never be the same!"

"Okay, I know this is normally something Ruby would say, but I'm going to have to agree with her this time," Weiss said. "Yang will wake up. And whether that happens tonight or in a month, we'll all be there for her. There's nothing we can do but wait right now."

Ruby nodded. "Weiss is right. All we can do is wait for her. There aren't any more signs of poison, so she should wake up soon."

"But, we don't know that! We don't know anything about her condition. She might be a completely different person when she wakes up and we won't know anything about how to help her!" Blake ranted.

"Yang will always be Yang," Ruby stated quietly.

"Well, I'm glad one of us has confidence." At that, Blake stalked out of the store and closed the door to the house harshly.

Weiss crossed her arms. "At least she's alive. At this point, we shouldn't ask for more."

/-/-/-/

Ruby looked at her reflection in Crescent Rose's blade. Blake was right. They had no idea what was coming next… she still held faith in her sister… but would the same Yang she last spoke to be the one who woke up? Only time would tell. Wiping off her beloved weapon, she ascended the still-broken stairs and found Blake sitting on one of the chairs next to Yang's bed.

Blake's book rested in her lap as she softly hummed the chorus from a popular tavern song. Ruby remembered Yang belting some of the lyrics along with other incomprehensible gibberish as she staggered back from a night at The Valkyrie's Drinking Grounds:

_For if ever I saw a lady—_

_Lady! Lady! Lady!_

_If ever I saw a lady as kind and bright as gold!_

The song was about a mercenary forgoing romance to be with money, their one true love. Ruby couldn't help but think the song was a perfect match for Yang, though. "Hi, Blake," she greeted.

Blake stopped humming.

"Mind if I sit down?"

"Go ahead," she answered guardedly. She could sense that Ruby wanted to talk about earlier.

"I understand how you feel. I know you're worried about what happens after she wakes up, but I think we should focus more on the present and maybe—"

"Ruby."

"Let me finish—"

"Ruby," Blake repeated a little more urgently, rising from her chair.

"Hold on—"

"No, I mean, she's waking up!"

"H—Huh?" Ruby flew to Yang's side. Blake appeared next to her not a moment later.

Yang's eyebrows knit together and one hand grabbed a fistful of the furs on the bed. Then, her eyes shot open. They were their normal color. Following a gasp, she rose to a sitting position, looking like she'd seen more than one ghost.

Ruby was shocked by the abrupt awakening. "H…Hey, Yang."

Yang stared at her for a moment, quizzical. "Hey, Rubes… why am I at home?"

That was all Ruby needed. She tackled Yang in a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay! I was really, really worried, and I thought you wouldn't make it, and you weren't waking up, so we thought maybe you never would, and—" Her rush of words turned into happy sobs.

Yang hugged her back and whispered, "I missed you too." After a bit, she shifted Ruby over to one arm and held out her empty one. "C'mere, Blakey. I missed both of you."

Wordlessly, Blake complied.

The next morning, Weiss came over with breakfast. Yang narrowed her eyes once Weiss calmed down from the initial shock of seeing her up. "The only one I didn't miss."

Ruby nearly spit out her food from laughter and Blake smiled, rolling her eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Weiss's tone was accusatory.

Yang stopped laughing. "Nothing." She patted her on the shoulder. "It's good to see you too, Weiss."

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**NEXT:** The First Day of Summer


	29. The First Day of Summer

~~AAAND START!~~ (The First Day of Summer)

Yang woke up late in the morning, hating her curtains for doing such a poor job of blocking the sun. She fished around the on floor until she found her jacket and threw it over her head. She could barely hear someone outside; it was extraordinarily annoying and persistent… a few moments later, Yang placed it. Weiss. With a groan, she got up and stretched.

Scanning the room, she locked onto an irregularity. Blake was asleep n the corner of the room, curled up in a chair with a book still in her lap. She had insisted she wasn't tired earlier, but Yang guessed her apparent lack of sleep had caught up with her. It was the first time Yang had ever woken up before her friend and, smiling softly, she covered her in a fur blanket before leaving for the storefront. The knocking was getting progressively louder.

With a tired sigh, Yang opened the door and was met face-to-face with the Weiss' fist. "Hey, Weiss. What can I do for you?"

"It's noon."

"Uh… okay. Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

"No, it's not! It's noon and everyone in this house is still sleeping! You're going to waste the whole entire day at this rate!"

"Would you like to come in?"

"Yes, I would."

Yang turned aside and Weiss walked in. "Let me guess… business with Ruby?"

"Yes, actually."

"You might have to wait a while." Yang stretched again. "I was going to go out today, but I'll stick around until she wakes up."

Weiss sighed and walked into the storage room.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making lunch. There has to be some way to keep busy." She pulled out a pan and opened the Freeze box. "No offense, but you had terrible food here, so I decided to change that." She peeked out from behind the door. "Any preferences?"

Yang thought for a moment before saying with a smirk, "Got any fish in there?"

"I'm sure there is." Weiss rummaged around until she found what she was looking for then returned to the fireplace.

"I didn't know you could cook," Yang mused, watching Weiss operate with relative skill. "I have to admit I'm kind of surprised. I didn't think you'd know how to do something so…"

"Plain?" Yang nodded and Weiss shrugged. "It's true my family don't place as much value in the mundane. That being said, there is a certain draw to it. What's plain to me is far different than what's considered plain to you."

Yang shrugged as well. "I guess."

Weiss paused in her work and turned around abruptly. "Yang?"

"Y—Yeah?"

"There's... another reason I stopped by today."

"O...kay?"

"Are… you alright?"

"Uh-huh. Alive and punching!" Yang jabbed the air to punctuate that. "Why?"

Weiss shifted and took a deep breath. "I know… we were never on the best of terms—for obvious reasons. My actions endangered your family's life and subjected you to unimaginable pain. As a Schnee—as a person—I find it hard to describe the amount of guilt I feel. I realize that I never gave you a full apology, so—"

"Weiss, stop." Yang to a step towards her. "You don't have to apologize. It's fine. I'm fine."

"Then, tell me you forgive me."

"What?"

"Tell me you forgive me."

"I…" Suddenly, the walls were very interesting to Yang.

"We are obviously not fine. I realize you have a lot on your plate, but let me do what I can to alleviate some of that burden. As a teammate and maybe one day… as someone you can trust." Bowing her head, Weiss continued. "Yang Xiao Long, I apologize for discriminating against you based on your occupation, for being the driving force behind your arrest, and for anything I've said or anything else I've done to hurt you. You don't have to forgive me, but at least know that I am truly sorry."

"Weiss…"

"I know that wasn't adequate, but in the future, I hope to—"

"The fish is burning."

"Ah!" Weiss ran to the fire.

Not five minutes later, Blake came downstairs.

Ruby followed her, still sleepy. "What's for breakfast? Smells good." She wiped the sleep from her eyes. "Little burnt, though."

"Lunch," Weiss corrected with a collected expression.

Yang smiled and winked at Blake. "Weiss made fish."

Blake's second set of ears twitched and she averted her gaze.

Ruby flopped into a chair. "Fish is good."

Weiss brought some plates over. "That's not what you said earlier."

Ruby crossed her arms. "Well, Weiss, some things change faster than others and I changed a lot really fast."

"Ruby, if you've somehow managed to grow up in the last two days, I would be thoroughly surprised. Anyways, I have something to talk to you about after lunch."

"Why can't we just talk about it now?"

Weiss looked at the other two people in the room. "It's a personal matter."

"Oh, uh, okay."

Yang raised her eyebrows. "Personal? Since when were you two so close?"

"I wouldn't say close. But she is… acting a little more her age these days."

"Ha! So you admit it! I have gotten cooler!"

Weiss looked disgusted with her previous statement. "I take that back."

Yang laughed.

"Well, Weiss, you have been acting pretty nice lately," Ruby noted.

"I've always been nice." The sort of silence around the room made her elaborate. "Though, I admit, I could have shown it to you more often…"

"Or at all," Blake muttered.

"Do you want lunch?" Weiss glared.

/-/-/-/

When Yang and Blake had left for the day, Ruby cleared the dishes and wasted no time in bringing up the topic of interest. "So, what did you want to talk about, Weiss?"

Weiss sat at the workbench and motioned for her to do the same. "As you know, I'm going to be receiving a branch of my father's company when I turn eighteen."

"Uh-huh."

"That isn't that far away, so I've already begun preparations, and… I'd like for you to be my rune master."

"Wh—What? You mean like, work for you?"

"Initially, it wouldn't be that much different from before, but I could pay you a lot more Lien than your current occupation. So, what do you think?"

Ruby creased her brow, deep in thought. After quite a while of apprehensive silence, she spoke. "Uh, thanks for the offer, Weiss, but I'm going to have to decline."

"Wh—What? Why?"

"I won't work for you." Ruby held up a hand when Weiss started to retort. "But! I'll work with you."

"A partnership?"

"It wouldn't be that much different from before," Ruby repeated slyly.

"That's certainly a new concept… My family has never partnered with their rune masters..."

"But, it might work out better that way."

"Ruby Rose… you might actually be right on this." Weiss brought a hand to her chin. "I could buy Tukson's Bakery and the buildings in between… and if, based on which side of the business the customer requested services from, we split profits sixty-forty instead of fifty-fifty… each of us would make at least ten thousand extra Lien per month once we're established! It's definitely worth thorough consideration."

"Te—Ten thousand? Do you really think we'll be that popular?"

"Ruby, I'm Weiss Schnee. Of course we will be."

"Oh, wow." Ruby closed her eyes, looking content. "I'm a genius... But, why me? Why not some other rune master?"

Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it obvious? You're the fastest rune master in Vale. To not partner up with you would be a grave mistake. And... though I'm not sure how this happened, I've come to place a considerable amount of trust in you. I won't say everything's been sorted out, but I think it's safe to say we've come to a general agreement. I'm pleased."

"Um, likewise." Ruby her outstretched hand.

/-/-/-/

Yang sat down with a huff next to Blake and took off the hood of her cloak. Her feet dangled off the edge of the roof they sat on as they overlooked the partially destroyed city. "The rebellion really did a number on this place."

"It looks a lot better than it did two weeks ago, but there's still a lot to do."

"Yeah."

"Did something happen?" Blake inquired, sensing an uneasy atmosphere about Yang.

"Oh… Um… Weiss apologized about everything earlier. I guess it's still kind of sinking in."

"That's a lot to process."

"You got that right."

"Do you think you can forgive her?"

"Yeah," Yang sighed. "I mean, I want to. I guess I just need some time."

"Really? Because I'd be fine with not liking her forever," Blake said with a smirk, causing Yang to chuckle.

"Well, the jury isn't out yet. But… seeing the way she interacts with Ruby now… I think I might have a guess on the verdict."

"She has changed a bit."

Yang grunted in agreement.

"Even so, problems are still likely to arise."

Yang fell back onto the stone with sigh. "Isn't that with everyone, though? I'm just happy we won."

"Likewise." They fell silent for a moment.

"So, Blakey, what are you going to do now?"

"I… don't know. I haven't really thought about it. There's been a lot of other things on my mind lately."

"Oh." Yang turned onto her side to get a better look at her. "Well, one step at a time, you know?"

"Yeah."

"But, in the event that you can't find anything you want to do… You could always come adventuring with me."

Blake's eyes widened. "You're going to continue adventuring?"

"Yup! I've got to get back to work—the bills don't pay themselves! And... I'm looking for someone—my mom, actually. You see, Ruby and I have different moms. Mine left after I was born and I've always wanted to find out why. I won't stop until I find her." Yang put a hand to her neck, gaze clouding. "I haven't had much luck, though… My scarf was the only thing I had of hers and even that's gone now."

"That's an admirable quest."

Snapping out of it, Yang smiled. "And you're welcome to join!"

"I… just might take you up on that offer."

"Great! Let me know when you make up your mind." Standing, Yang stretched out her shoulder and flipped her hood back over her head. "Speaking of quests, how would you like to go on a little one with me right now?"

"What do you have to do?"

"Mm... find a new sketchbook since my last one was destroyed. Then, I thought we could go visit Nora and Ren's new tavern. It'll probably be packed and I hear they let Jaune perform, so I'm pretty sure Pyrrha will be there too."

"Aren't those just errands?" Blake asked with good humor.

"Nope, they're quests. I would never go see Jaune sing for just an errand."

They both laughed.

"Sure, I'll join you… but consider the first quest already completed." Blake pulled a leather-bound sketchbook from under her cloak. It was tied with a black ribbon. "I got this for when you woke up."

Yang studied it, mouth agape.

"If you don't like it, you don't have to take it…"

Yang took the book quicker than Ruby could have managed with her semblance. "No, I love it! I just didn't expect it. Thanks, Blake," she said warmly.

"You're welcome."

They used a ladder to get off the building and Blake stopped at the bottom. "Hey, Yang?"

"Yeah?"

"About adventuring... I'll go with you."

/-/-/-/

King Neptune sat across from Sun at the lunch table. "Will you at least consider it?"

"I dunno, man… Head of Intelligence sounds nice, but I'm a thief and I'm a Faunus. Shouldn't you choose someone else?"

"Dude, I've told you before. It's a step towards equal rights and you'll still be stealing things, just lawfully. Please? I really want you to do this. Plus, I'm sure we can get you some training."

Sun ate the last bite of his sandwich and looked out the window. "Even if we could get passed all that stuff, what about that whole me-turning-into-Dust thing? We've only managed to find a temporary fix so far."

Neptune frowned. "Dude, we're going to find a cure, okay? Yang stopped her transformation somehow so there has to be a way."

"I guess so, man. But, I mean, what if there isn't?"

"There is. And how can you be so cool about this, anyway?"

"Honestly? I'm pretty freaked out about it, but… I've done what I came to do, you know?" Sun coughed and pounded his chest for a second. "The kingdom's pretty much fixed and you're king now, so mission accomplished."

"You know I can't let you leave that easily."

Sun laughed. "Guess not, dude. It's fun to stick around, though."

Neptune pulled a half smile. "Well, at least think about the offer?"

"Okay, I'll think about it."

"Nice!" He rubbed his hands together. "Alright, I've got prep time before my next meeting. Some people from Vacuo are here for business, so I have to go over some numbers first."

"Alright, nerd, go prep. I'll be around if you need me."

"Intellectual," Neptune corrected.

Sun bowed. "Right. My apologies." He cleared his throat. "Farewell, King Intellectual Nerd."

Neptune rolled his eyes with a breath of laughter. "Bye, Sun." Leaving the table first, he walked towards his bedroom. He still had one more thing to do.

His goggles sat on the dresser in his room. He hadn't touched them since he'd left for the rebellion… Picking them up delicately, he sighed, nodded at the picture of his father on the wall, and walked across the castle to the Hall of Royalty. Every former legitimate monarch had a memorial here. Each stone carving had become more and more intricate over time, and the newest one was no exception.

"Dad, thanks for these… but I won't be needing them anymore." Neptune placed his goggles in front of his father's memorial. Then, he put one hand on the cool stone and used the other to point to the crown on his head. "I'll be a good king. I promise." There was no doubt that a lot of work and hard times lay ahead, but… "Everything's going to be great."

The old king's crown fit perfectly.

~~AAAND END!~~

**AN: **Can't believe it's over... Hope you enjoyed the the ride! I know I did. If you liked this, please write a final review. I'd really love to hear that! Also, help show your appreciation by favoriting if you haven't already!

Goddang, this was really fun to plan and write. Thanks for the support, everyone!

Favorite character: Yang

Most changed character: Weiss

Most cinnamon roll: Sunnnn

**NEXT: **Hmm… We'll see, aha.


	30. Extra: An Excerpt From Oobleck's Notes

~~AAAND START!~~ (An Excerpt From Oobleck's Notes)

_After profuse research into the elements of aura, I've devised a method that is around 90% accurate at predicting which element of aura an individual has. The method, written in common vernacular, is as follows:_

_To begin, it is imperative that each person draw out four columns on a sheet of paper. These should be labeled one through four. Each answer to the questions below is assigned a minimum of one number. Put a mark under the corresponding columns per your response._

_As I've stated earlier, this method is hardly foolproof. There are always exceptions to every rule. However, I believe this is an important tool in the research and evaluation of aura and its relation to character._

* * *

**How did you know you'd been betrayed?**

_I watched them do it_

2

_I saw their face_

4

_Things weren't adding up_

1

_I experienced the aftermath_

3

* * *

**Are you good at guessing what gifts people bring you?**

_Yes, and I love doing it_

1

_Yes, but I prefer the surprise_

4

_No_

3

_It depends on the occasion_

2

* * *

**Why won't they catch you?**

_I'm too fast_

3

_I'm too powerful_

4

_I'm too intelligent_

1

_I plan ahead_

2

* * *

**Can people depend on you?**

_Yes, when they need me_

4

_Yes, if I say I'll do something, I will._

2

_Yes, but I prefer they don't_

1

_Not saying I'm proud of it, but I can be a flake_

3

* * *

**Are you nice to strangers?**

_Yeah, I love them!_

4

_Sure, why not?_

1

_Depends on the circumstances_

2

_Ew, strangers._

3

* * *

**What/Who do you rely on most when faced with a problem?**

_Friends_

2, 3

_Family_

3, 4

_My own conscience_

1, 2

* * *

**How many chances do you give others?**

_Too many_

3, 4

_Only one_

1, 2, 4

_It depends on the crime_

2, 4

_It depends on the person_

1, 3

* * *

**Do you have the next five years of your life planned out?**

_Nah_

3, 4

_Sort of…_

1, 3

_Of course!_

2

* * *

**Do the ends justify the means?**

_Yeah, almost always._

1, 2

_No way!_

3, 4

* * *

**Someone ate the food with your name on it. What is your first reaction?**

_I WILL FIND WHOEVER DID THIS._

1, 4

_I'll live…_

2, 3

* * *

**Do you think long-time commitments to friends are important?**

_Yes, keeping close friends is important to me._

2, 4

_No, if something's not working, switch it up. Change is natural._

1, 3

* * *

**Do you hold grudges?**

_Yesss_

1, 2

_Not really_

3, 4

* * *

_Now that each question has been answered, the number of marks in each column should be counted. The column with the most marks is the estimated element of the subject's aura._

_If by chance there is a tie between two columns, the number of the tied columns are the only possible selections for the next question. For example, if the subject is tied between columns three and four, they may only answer Vale or Mistral._

* * *

**Where would you want to live?**

_Vale_

3

_Atlas_

2

_Vacuo_

1

_Mistral_

4

* * *

_These are the elements that correspond to each column._

1 = Lightning

2 = Ice

3 = Wind

4 = Fire

* * *

_It remains to be seen if a method exists to determine whether a person's aura will be a direct form or an indirect form. I will continue researching this among other things._

~~AAAND STOP!~~

**AN:** Interesting. According to his method, I have a lightning aura… What about you guys?


End file.
